List of people with epilepsy

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

This is a list of notable people who have, or had, the medical condition epilepsy. Following from that, there is a short list of people who have received a speculative, retrospective diagnosis of epilepsy. Finally there is a substantial list of people who are often wrongly believed to have had epilepsy.

Epilepsy and greatness

A possible link between epilepsy and greatness has fascinated biographers and physicians for centuries. In his Treatise on Epilepsy, the French 17th century physician Jean Taxil refers to Aristotle's "famous epileptics". This list includes Heracles, Ajax, Bellerophon, Socrates, Plato, Empedocles, Maracus of Syracuse, and the Sibyls.[1] However, historian of medicine Owsei Temkin argues that Aristotle had in fact made a list of melancholics and had only associated Heracles with the "Sacred Disease".[2] Taxil goes on to add his own names: Roman Emperor Caligula, Drusus (tribune of the Roman people), and Petrarch. Neurologist John Hughes concluded that the majority of famous people alleged to have epilepsy did not in fact have this condition.[3][4]

Certain diagnosis

The following categorized chronological list contains only those people for whom a firm and uncontested diagnosis was made during their lifetime.

Acting

Name Life Comments Reference
Bud Abbott 1895–1974 Famous comedian (half of the "Abbot and Costello" duo) who had epilepsy all his life, but tried to control and hide it. [5]
Ward Bond 1903–1960 A film actor. His epilepsy led to his exclusion from the draft during World War II. [6]
Bob Fosse 1927–1987 An American actor, choreographer, dancer, and film and stage director. In 1961, Fosse's epilepsy was revealed when he had a seizure onstage during rehearsals for The Conquering Hero. [7]
Rip Taylor 1931-2019 An American actor and comedian, Taylor died in 2019 having been hospitalized for having an epileptic seizure a week prior. [8]
Boryslav Brondukov 1938–2004 A Ukrainian film character actor, People's Artist of the Ukrainian SSR. Epilepsy seizures from 1998. [9]
Pete Duel 1940–1971 A television and film actor whose epilepsy is thought to have been brought on during adolescence by head injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
Danny Glover born 1946 An actor and film director who had epilepsy from age 15 to age 35. [10]
Margaux Hemingway 1955–1996 A film actress and model who had epilepsy from the age of seven. Her death was attributed to suicide by an intentional overdose of phenobarbital, which is an anticonvulsant, but see the footnoted article for an alternative explanation. [11]
Melanie Griffith born 1957 American actress whose seizures are thought to be induced by stress [12][13]
Rik Mayall 1958-2014 Successful comedy actor in various UK comedy series and some comedy films. He developed epilepsy arising from a quad bike accident in 1998. [14]
Hugo Weaving born 1960 An actor who has taken anticonvulsants for epilepsy since his first seizure at age 13. [15][16]
Martin Kemp born 1961 Actor and former bassist with the pop band Spandau Ballet. He developed epilepsy after having two brain tumours in the 1990s. [17]
Fatima Sana Shaikh born 1992 An Indian actress who has had epilepsy for much of her life. [18]
Cameron Boyce 1999–2019 An actor best known for his roles as Luke Ross on the Disney Channel series Jessie and as Carlos on the TV film Descendants, previously diagnosed with epilepsy. Boyce died of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). [19]


Leadership, politics and royalty

Name Life Comments Reference
Michael IV the Paphlagonian 1010–1041 A
Byzantine emperor
who had frequent tonic-clonic seizures since adolescence. The seizures were interpreted at the time to be demonic possession as punishment for his sins. His royal entourage were alert to signs of an impending seizure and tried to hide the emperor when he was ill. 		[20]
Hans Ulrik Gyldenløve 1615–1645 Illegitimate son of Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway, Hans Ulrik was an officer in the Danish Royal Navy and the commander of a royal castle, the Kronborg. He was prone to epileptic incidents, and during a state visit to Spain with his father's ambassador in 1640, he had a seizure shortly after a bullfight. He had to be sent home to Denmark.[citation needed] [21][22]
Ivan V Alekseyevich 1666–1696 Older half brother of Russian Tsar Peter the Great. Ivan V was feeble-minded, epileptic, and half-blind. Would have never become Tsar except for the support of his sister Sophia, who wanted to become regent over him. His sister, with the military backing of the Streltsy, made Ivan V rule as co-tsar with Peter I (Great) (who had already been tsar for a few weeks). [23]
Pope Pius IX 1792–1878 Had childhood epilepsy. [24][25][26]
Francis Libermann 1802–1852 A Jew who converted to Christianity and studied for priesthood. Epilepsy prevented his ordination for many years. [27]
Ida McKinley
 		1847–1907 First Lady of the United States from 1897 to 1901. Her epilepsy started in adulthood and was to become quite disabling and inconvenient. As was normal for the time, great efforts were made to keep this secret. Her husband, William McKinley would cover her face with a napkin when she had symptoms at dinner parties. [28]
Vladimir Lenin 1870–1924 First Premier of the Soviet Union. Lenin's final year was characterized by neurological decline and loss of function. In his last few months, he developed epilepsy. His seizures worsened and he died in status epilepticus, which had lasted 50 minutes. [29]
Caligula 12–41 Roman Emperor. Suetonius states that "As a boy he was troubled with the falling sickness [epilepsy], and while in his youth he had some endurance, yet at times because of sudden faintness he was hardly able to walk, to stand up, to collect his thoughts, or to hold up his head." [30]
Prince Erik, Duke of Västmanland 1889–1918 The youngest son of
Gustaf V of Sweden
. 		[31]
Prince John of the United Kingdom 1905–1919 The youngest son of
King George V
, John had epilepsy from the age of 4 until his death after a seizure aged 13. John's epilepsy, along with intellectual disability and possibly autism, led to his living most of his life at York Cottage on the Sandringham Estate away from visitors who were not family members. 		[32]
Rabbi Lionel Blue 1930–2016 A rabbi and broadcaster, best known for his contributions to "
Today program
. His epilepsy was diagnosed when he was aged 57 and is successfully controlled with medication. 		[33][34]
Dave Longaberger 1934–1999 A businessman and founder of
stutter
, eventually graduating from high school aged 21. 		[35]
Joe Doyle 1936–2009 Joseph (Joe) Doyle was an Irish
Brainwave
, the Irish Epilepsy Association, at the time of his death. 		[36]
Neil Abercrombie born 1938 The former Governor of Hawaii who campaigned for increased funding for epilepsy research. He was diagnosed with epilepsy in his early thirties. [37][38]
Rudi Dutschke 1940–1979 A prominent spokesperson of the left-wing
German student movement
of the 1960s. An assassination attempt in 1968, when he was shot twice in the head, left him partially blind and with frequent epileptic attacks. He drowned in the bathtub after having a seizure. 		[39][40]
Tony Coelho born 1942 A former United States congressman who developed epilepsy aged 16, possibly as a result of an earlier head injury. This would lead to rejection by his family and the Jesuits for "possession by the devil".[41] He has campaigned as a congressman for disabled rights and chairs the Epilepsy Foundation's national board of directors. [41]
Eamonn McCann born 1943 A former Northern Ireland People Before Profit
MLA from Derry and Councillor who developed epilepsy in 2006.[42]
John Roberts born 1955 Roberts is the 17th
Senate Judiciary Committee
who confirmed him. His second seizure occurred in 2008 when he fell 5 to 10 feet onto a dock near his house. 		[43]
Denis O'Donovan born 1955 O'Donovan is an Irish
Seanad Eireann from 2016 to 2020 and also served as a TD for Cork South-West from 2002-7. He first had a grand-mal seizure in 2020 and later episodes which left him close to death. He has since spoken publicly about his experiences in the role of an advocate.[44]
Laura Sandys born 1964 British Conservative Party politician. She was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Thanet. She revealed in parliament in October 2010 that she had epilepsy, but had been seizure-free for seven years. [45]
Paul Maynard born 1975 British Conservative Party politician. He was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Blackpool North and Cleveleys. In 2010, he was appointed vice-president of the charity Epilepsy Action. [46]

Music

Name Life Comments Reference
Jimmy Reed 1925–1976 An American blues singer. His epilepsy diagnosis in 1957 was delayed due to an assumption that he was suffering from attacks of delirium tremens. He died after an epileptic seizure aged 51. [47][48]
Neil Young born 1945 Canadian singer-songwriter, formerly of bands Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Disliked the effects of his medication; seeking personal stability as an alternative means of control. [49]
Lindsey Buckingham born 1949 The guitarist and singer in the music group Fleetwood Mac was taken to hospital after a seizure while on tour, aged 29. His epilepsy was successfully controlled by anticonvulsant drugs. [50][51]
Chris Knox born 1952 New Zealand indie musician (Toy Love, Tall Dwarfs) has addressed his epilepsy in such songs as "Lapse", and it is also referenced in his album title Seizure. [52]
Mike Nolan born 1954 Singer and one of the four original members of the British pop group Bucks Fizz. Developed epilepsy after a coach accident in 1985. [53]
Ian Curtis 1956–1980 The vocalist and lyricist of the band Joy Division was diagnosed with epilepsy aged 22. The cover of their album Unknown Pleasures resembles an EEG tracing, but is actually the tracings of the radio emissions of a pulsar. He would often suffer grand mal seizures while performing and his dancing would mimic the seizures he suffered. The condition was a primary cause of his suicide in 1980 aged 23. [54]
Marie Fredriksson 1958–2019 A Swedish pop singer, songwriter, pianist and painter. She collapsed in a bathroom after becoming nauseated, with the impact of the fall fracturing her
epileptic seizure
. 		[55]
Prince 1958–2016 American singer, who had epilepsy as a child and sang about his condition in the song "The Sacrifice of Victor". [56]
Richard Jobson born 1960 Formerly the lead singer with the punk rock group
The Skids
, now a television presenter and film maker. He has absence seizures. 		[57]
Susan Boyle born 1961 Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme
Britain's Got Talent
 on 11 April 2011. She had epilepsy as a child. 		[58]
Peter Jefferies born ca.1961 New Zealand musician (Nocturnal Projections, This Kind of Punishment). [59]
Hikari Ōe born 1963 A Japanese composer who has autism, epilepsy and intellectual disability and has created two successful classical-music CDs. He is the son of Kenzaburō Ōe, the Japanese novelist who won the 1994 Nobel Prize in Literature. [60]
Vusi Mahlasela born 1965 A singer-songwriter whose work inspired those in the anti-apartheid movement. [61]
Tone Loc born 1966 American actor, rapper, voice actor, and producer known for his raspy voice, his hit songs "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina". Tone Lōc has collapsed onstage multiple times since 1995; some if not all of these collapses have been due to seizures, according to at least one report. [62]
Adam Horovitz born 1966 Member of the music group Beastie Boys. [63][64]
Edith Bowman born 1974 Scottish television presenter and a radio D.J., who had epilepsy as a child.
Mike Skinner born 1978 Also known as The Streets, he had epilepsy between the ages of 7 and 20. [65]
Geoff Rickly born 1979 A member of the band Thursday, who discovered he had epilepsy while on tour. [66][67]
Shane Yellowbird 1979-2022 Canadian country-music singer songwriter. He had been suffering from epilepsy and died of a grand mal seizure.[68]
Lil Wayne born 1982 American rapper revealed in March 2013 that he has epilepsy. He has suffered with the disease since childhood and admits that he rarely remembers his seizures.[69] [70]
Jinxx born 1986 An American musician and member of the Black Veil Brides, diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 27 after having a seizure at a gig. [71]
Lauren Pritchard
 		born 1987 An American singer, songwriter and actress who appeared in the original Broadway cast of Spring Awakening. [72]

Sport

Name Life Comments Reference
Grover Cleveland Alexander 1887–1950 A
major league baseball pitcher who tried to hide his epilepsy with alcohol, which was at the time considered to be a more socially acceptable problem. Ty Cobb
said he "suffered hell on the field." 		[73]
Tony Lazzeri 1903–1946 A major league baseball player who probably died after seizure that occurred when he was alone at home. [74]
Hal Lanier born 1942 A major league baseball player and manager. He developed epilepsy after a severe beating. [75]
Tony Greig 1946–2012 A former
cricketer
and commentator who was involved with Epilepsy Action Australia. He had his first seizure, aged 14, during a tennis game but has successfully controlled his epilepsy with medication. 		[76]
Buddy Bell born 1951 A major league baseball player and manager. [75]
Bobby Jones born 1951 A Hall of Fame basketball player who developed epilepsy and a heart problem as an adult, but persevered with his game. [77][78]
Vyacheslav Lemeshev 1952–1996 An Olympic boxer from the USSR. The youngest Olympic champion in boxing history, at the age of 28 he was already a sick person. Brain vascular atrophy developed, vision was severely impaired, liver problems were encountered and psoriasis and epilepsy. [79]
Terry Marsh born 1958 A boxer who was IBF world light-welterweight champion. His diagnosis of epilepsy in 1987, aged 29, forced him into retirement undefeated. [80][81]
Greg Walker born 1959 A major league baseball player who collapsed on field with a tonic-clonic seizure. He had a further seizure in hospital that night and took anticonvulsant medication for the next two years. Walker had a childhood history of seizures until the age of 4. [82]
Florence Griffith Joyner 1959–1998 A
cavernous angioma that was discovered on autopsy. She died from asphyxiation
after a grand mal seizure while asleep. 		[83]
Wally Lewis born 1959 One of Australia's greatest rugby league players, national team captain 1984–89. After retirement from the sport, he became a television sports presenter, but became disoriented during a live-to-air broadcast in late 2006. Medical tests revealed that he had epilepsy. [84]
Paul Wade born 1962 Former Australian national
Football (soccer)
player and television sports commentator. Wade had epilepsy all his life but was only diagnosed as an adult. He kept it secret until he had a seizure on live television in 2001. Drugs weren't controlling the seizures so, in 2002, he had surgery to remove a scar in his brain. He is now seizure free. 		[85][86]
Marion Clignet born 1964 A Franco-American cyclist who found that she has epilepsy at the age of 22. She was shunned by the U.S. cycling federation and subsequently rode in the colors of France. She has since won six world titles, two Olympic silver medals, and numerous races worldwide. [87][88][89]
Maggie McEleny born 1965 Four times British Paralympic swimmer, winning 3 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze. McEleny has paraplegia and epilepsy. In 2000, she was made an MBE and awarded a Golden Jubilee Award by the British Epilepsy Association. [90]
Mikhail Tatarinov born 1966 A retired Russian
defenceman
. Alcohol withdrawal epilepsy seizures. 		[91]
Hervé Boussard 1966–2013 An Olympic cyclist of France who won a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He died from an epileptic seizure. [92]
Jonty Rhodes born 1969 A cricketer who is involved with Epilepsy South Africa. [93]
Tom Smith 1971–2022 Former Scottish international and Northampton Saints rugby player. He had epilepsy since the age of 18. His seizures occurred only at night, during sleep. He was a patron of the Scottish epilepsy charity, Enlighten. [94][95]
Ronde Barber born 1975 A former American football player who played cornerback with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. [96]
Tiki Barber born 1975 A former American football player, who played running back for the New York Giants. [96]
Alan Faneca born 1976 An
guard in the pro football Hall of Fame. The nine-time All-Pro was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 15 and takes the anticonvulsant carbamazepine
, which successfully controls his seizures. 		[97][98][99][100]
Samari Rolle born 1976 A former
cornerback who played for the Baltimore Ravens
. 		[101]
Chanda Gunn born 1980 A goalie in the
valproic acid. Epilepsy meant that she had to give up her childhood sports of swimming and surfing, but these were soon replaced with hockey
. 		[102]
Jason Snelling born 1983 An American football player with the Atlanta Falcons. [103]
Davis Tarwater born 1984 An Olympic swimmer for the United States who had epilepsy as a child [104]
Andrei Kostitsyn 3 February 1985 Belarusian hockey player (Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, Dinamo Minsk) [105]
Andrei Kostitsyn born 1985 A Belarusian professional ice hockey forward for HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The hockey player suffered several serious epilepsy seizures in one month. He was treated in Canada in 2004. [106]
Leon Legge born 1985 An English professional footballer, who currently plays for Port Vale as a central defender. His epilepsy is currently controlled. [107]
Dai Greene born 1986 A
hurdler who specialises in the 400 metres hurdles
event. Greene is the current European, Commonwealth and World Champion. 		[108]
Katharine Ford born 1986 An Ultra-marathon cyclist and Indoor Track Cycling four time world record holder, who was diagnosed with epilepsy aged 9 before undergoing major transformative brain surgery to control her condition. [109]
Lance Franklin 30 January 1987 An Australian Football League player who has had Epilepsy since 2015. [110]
Jeremy Jeffress born 1987 A baseball pitcher named as an all-star in 2018 with the Milwaukee Brewers. [111][112]
Michael McKillop born 1990 An Irish middle distance paralymic runner with a mild form of cerebral palsy and epilepsy who has won Gold at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games. [113]
Mike Towell 1991–2016 A Scottish
professional boxer from Dundee
, Scotland. Who died after fight 'should have never been in the ring' after having epileptic seizures 		[114]
Briar Nolet born 1998 A Canadian dancer who competed in
The Next Step
. After having a seizure during a dance rehearsal, she was misdiagnosed with anxiety, but two years later, a neurologist confirmed she has epilepsy. 		[115][116]
Justin Fields born 1999 A first round pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears. His condition was made public prior to the draft. [117][118]

Art and writing

Name Life Comments Reference
Edward Lear 1812–1888 An artist, illustrator and writer known for his nonsensical poetry and limericks. His epilepsy, which he developed as a child, may have been inherited (his elder sister Jane had frequent seizures and died young). Lear was ashamed of his epilepsy and kept it a secret. He did, however, record each seizure in his diary. [119]
Fyodor Dostoyevsky
 		1821–1881 A Russian writer whose epilepsy was probably inherited (both his father and his son had seizures). He incorporated his experiences into his novels – creating four different characters with epilepsy. Dostoyevsky's epilepsy was unusual in that he claimed to experience an ecstatic aura prior to a seizure, whereas most people experience unpleasant feelings. [120][121]
George Inness 1825–1894 An American painter who had epilepsy from childhood. [122]
R. D. Blackmore 1825–1900 Author of Lorna Doone. [123]
Charles Altamont Doyle 1832–1893 Artist and father of Arthur Conan Doyle. His alcoholism and a violent outburst led him to be detained in an asylum. Whilst there, he developed epilepsy and severe memory problems. [124]
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson 1832–1910 Norwegian writer and the 1903 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. Developed focal epilepsy following a stroke in the final year of his life. [125]
Ion Creangă 1837–1889 A Romanian children's writer and memoirist who had epilepsy for the last six years of his life. [126]
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
 		1839–1908 A Brazilian realist novelist, poet and short-story writer. He had epilepsy all his life, but was ashamed to mention it, using euphemisms when writing to friends. It is believed he had complex partial seizures, with secondary generalisation. [127][128]
Dmitri Sinodi-Popov 1855–1910 A Russian artist, whose epilepsy interrupted his studies at the
St. Petersburg Academy of Arts
. 		[129]
Minakata Kumagusu 1867–1941 A Japanese writer and naturalist. He had tonic-clonic seizures, with an aura that caused
MRI showed right hippocampal
atrophy, consistent with temporal lobe epilepsy. 		[130][131]
Vachel Lindsay 1879–1931 A poet who took phenobarbital for his epilepsy. [132]
Laurie Lee 1914–1997 A poet, novelist and screenwriter, most famous for his autobiographical trilogy (which includes Cider with Rosie). His epilepsy probably developed after he was knocked down by a bicycle at the age of 10. He kept it secret and it only surfaced when his papers were read by biographers after his death. [133]
Kyffin Williams 1918–2006 A landscape painter. His epilepsy ended his army career and may have prevented him marrying. [134]
Max Clifford 1943–2017 A publicist known for representing controversial clients. He developed epilepsy at the age of 46. [135]
Karen Armstrong born 1944 An author, feminist and writer on Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Her temporal lobe epilepsy went undiagnosed for many years. She wrote in her autobiography that when (in her early thirties) she was finally given the diagnosis, it was "an occasion of pure happiness". [136][137]
Thom Jones born 1945 Author of short stories, many of which include characters with epilepsy. [138]
Stephen Knight 1951–1985 An author who was known for his books criticising the
Horizon
on epilepsy. The producers arranged for a brain scan, which showed up a tumour. This was removed but returned in 1984 and despite further surgery he died in 1985. 		[139]
DeBarra Mayo born 1953 Fitness and health author and writer. [140]
Kathy Sierra born 1957 A
programming instructor and game developer who co-created the Head First series of books on computer programming. She had her first tonic-clonic seizure at the age of four. These were frequent and severe but greatly diminished by adulthood and were always preceded by an aura
. 		[141]
Jago Eliot 1966–2006 Aristocrat, surfer and cyber artist. He died in his bath due to an epileptic seizure, which was recorded as a sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). [142]
Rick O'Shea born 1973 An Irish radio presenter on
Epilepsy Ireland
since 2006. 		[143]

Miscellaneous

Name Life Comments Reference
Jean Clemens 1880–1909 The youngest daughter of Mark Twain. She had epilepsy from age fifteen, which her father attributed to a childhood head injury. Her epilepsy was not successfully controlled and at one point she was sent to an epilepsy colony in Katonah, New York. She was found dead on Christmas Eve in her bath aged 29. The cause of death was reported as drowning due to epilepsy. [144][145]
Derek Bentley 1933–1953 Hanged, aged 19, for a crime his partner committed, Bentley had epilepsy and a mental age of 11. He was pardoned after a 45-year campaign, which included the film Let Him Have It, starring Christopher Eccleston. [146]
Emilie Dionne 1934–1954 The third of the Dionne
quintuplets, Emilie's epilepsy was only made public after her death at a convent in Sainte Agathe, Quebec. She died from complications caused by a series of epileptic seizures. These were recorded at noon the previous day, 11 pm, 3 am, and 5 am, but no doctor was called until after her death. Her death from epilepsy caused alarm, leading H. Houston Merritt
to inform the public that "the mortality rate among epileptics is no greater than among non-sufferers". 		[147][148]
Virginia Ridley
 		1948–1997 A woman who had agoraphobia, hypergraphia and epilepsy. Her eccentric husband Alvin was charged with her murder but cleared after the jury accepted that she may have suffocated during a seizure. She had not been seen outside her home for 25 years. [149]
Don Craig Wiley 1944–2001 A protein-structure biochemist. He kept his epilepsy secret, did not treat it, and died under mysterious circumstances, possibly owing to a seizure. [150]
Barry George born 1960 Initially convicted but later acquitted of murdering the British television presenter Jill Dando. Has epilepsy, mental health problems and is autistic. [151]
Rick Harrison born 1965 Co-owner of the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop in
History series Pawn Stars
; had epilepsy when he was in his youth. 		[152]
Katie Hopkins born 1975 English reality television contestant (
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
) and businesswoman, who developed epilepsy as a teenager
Daniel Tammet born 1979 An
autistic savant
who is a talented mnemonist and language learner. He had temporal lobe epilepsy as a child. 		[153][154]
Brad Jones
 		born 1981 During his review of
the Cinema Snob
mentions that he has been epileptic since 4th grade and takes Tegretol (carbamazepine). 		[155]
Keith Wallace born 1969 During his interview on
Napa Valley and Chianti
for years without revealing his neurological disorder to his employers. 		[156]

Retrospective diagnosis

The following people were not diagnosed with epilepsy during their lifetime. A retrospective diagnosis is speculative and, as detailed below, can be wrong.

Name Life Comments Reference
Socrates 470–399 BC
daimonion was a simple partial seizure and that he had temporal lobe epilepsy
. 		[157]
Julius Caesar 100–44 BC Roman military and political leader. There is documentation of symptoms experienced by Caesar beginning on his 50th birthday that some scholars believe were complex partial seizures. There is family history of epilepsy amongst his ancestors and descendants. The earliest accounts of these seizures were made by the biographer Suetonius who was born after Caesar's death.

However, some scholars believe that Caesar's symptoms, as well as the deaths of his father and paternal grandfather, may be better explained by cardiovascular disease and stroke, and that the documentation of his epilepsy could be unreliable since certain symptoms were not described until after his death. Epilepsy was considered a "sacred disease" and therefore may have been publicized by family members after his death to portray a specific public image.

[158][159][160]
Napoleon I of France
 		1769–1821 French military leader and emperor. A paper by
psychogenic attacks due to stress and epileptic seizures due to chronic uremia from a severe urethral stricture caused by gonorrhea
. 		[161][162]
Harriet Tubman 1822-1913 American abolitionist who rescued slaves with a network of antislavery activists collectively known as the Underground Railroad. A slave overseer threw a metal weight towards another slave but hit Tubman in the head instead. After this she experienced seizures along with painful headaches, fainting spells, and religious experiences. Temporal lobe epilepsy is considered one of the possible diagnoses. [163][164]
George Gershwin 1898–1937 American composer. The first symptoms of his
glioblastoma multiforme
tumor were possibly olfactory-uncinate simple partial seizures. He noticed the smell of burnt rubber at the same time as dizziness or, occasionally, brief blackouts. His condition deteriorated and he died six months later, despite surgery to remove the tumor. 		[165]
Rosemary Kennedy 1918–2005 The younger sister of American President John F. Kennedy. She developed "convulsions" and violent fits around the age of 20. To her parents, it appeared to be a degenerating neurological disturbance or disease. The Kennedy family arranged a lobotomy to control her behaviour which reduced her mental capabilities to that of a toddler. A formal epilepsy diagnosis has never been disclosed. [166]

Religious figures

Main articles:
Neurotheology

There is a long-standing notion that epilepsy and religion are linked,[167] and it has been speculated that many religious figures had temporal lobe epilepsy. The temporal lobes generate the feeling of "I", and give a sense of familiarity or strangeness to the perceptions of the senses.[168] The temporal lobes and adjacent anterior insular cortex seem to be involved in mystical experiences,[168][169] and in the change in personality that may result from such experiences.[168]

Raymond Bucke's Cosmic Consciousness (1901) contains several case-studies of people who have realized "cosmic consciousness".[168] James Leuba's The psychology of religious mysticism noted that "among the dread diseases that afflict humanity there is only one that interests us quite particularly; that disease is epilepsy."[167][170] Several of Bucke's cases are also mentioned in J.E. Bryant's 1953 book, Genius and Epilepsy, which has a list of more than 20 people that combines the great and the mystical.[171]

Slater and Beard and renewed the interest in TLE and religious experience in the 1960s.[172] Dewhurst and Beard (1970) described six cases of TLE-patients who underwent sudden religious conversions. They placed these cases in the context of several western saints who had a sudden conversion, who were or may have been epileptic. Dewhurst and Beard described several aspects of conversion experiences, and did not favor one specific mechanism.[167]

Norman Geschwind described behavioral changes related to temporal lobe epilepsy in the 1970s and 1980s.[173] Now called Geschwind syndrome, he defined a cluster of specific personality characteristics often found in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, which include increased religiosity.[173] Evidence of Geschwind syndrome has been identified in some religious figures, in particular pronounced religiosity and hypergraphia (excessive writing).[173] However, critics note that these characteristics can be the result of any illness, and are not sufficiently descriptive for patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.[174]

Neuropsychiatrist Peter Fenwick, in the 1980s and 1990s, also found a relationship between the right temporal lobe and mystical experience, but also found that pathology or brain damage is only one of many possible causal mechanisms for these experiences. He questioned the earlier accounts of religious figures with temporal lobe epilepsy, noticing that "very few true examples of the ecstatic aura and the temporal lobe seizure had been reported in the world scientific literature prior to 1980". According to Fenwick, "It is likely that the earlier accounts of temporal lobe epilepsy and temporal lobe pathology and the relation to mystic and religious states owes more to the enthusiasm of their authors than to a true scientific understanding of the nature of temporal lobe functioning."[175]

The occurrence of intense religious feelings in people with epilepsy in general is considered rare,

neurological research of mystical experiences is a growing field of research, searching for specific neurological explanations of mystical experiences. Study of ecstatic seizures may provide clues for the neurological mechanisms giving rise to mystical experiences, such as the anterior insular cortex, which is involved in self-awareness and subjective certainty.[169][176][177]

People listed below are not necessarily known to have epilepsy nor indicate a scholarly consensus in favour of epilepsy; merely that such a diagnosis has been suggested.
Name Life Comments Reference
The Priestly source of the Pentateuch c700 BC According to one researcher, the writing has a pedantic and aggressive style, shows extreme religiosity, verbosity and redundant style. These are said to be evidence of Geschwind syndrome, though there is no evidence of any seizures since we have no personal information regarding the author. [178]
Ezekiel 622BC–? Fainting spells, periodic loss of speech, compulsive writing, extremely religious, pedantic speech. [179][180]
Paul of Tarsus
 		3–10 – 62–68 Epilepsy is one of many suggestions regarding his "
road to Damascus
. In addition to a seizure, heat exhaustion, the voice of conscience together with a migraine, and even a bolt of lightning have been suggested. 		[27][181][182]
Saint Birgitta 1303–1373 Her skull shows evidence of a meningioma, which is a cause of epilepsy and may explain her visions. However, it is not in the temporal lobe and other researches suggest psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, or a combination. [183][184]
Joan of Arc 1412–1431 Experienced religious messages through voices and
visions
which she said others could sometimes experience simultaneously. Some researchers consider the visions to be ecstatic epileptic auras, though more recent research may implicate idiopathic partial epilepsy with auditory features. Epileptic seizures with clear auditory and visual hallucinations are very rare. This, together with the extreme length of her visions, lead some to reject epilepsy as a cause. 		[3][185][186]
Saint Catherine of Genoa 1447–1510 "[A]bnormal mental states" diagnosed as hysteria by Leuba; according to Dewhurst and Beard the symptoms may also suggest temporal lobe epilepsy. According to Dewhurst and Beard, Saint Catherine of Genoa, Saint Marguerite Marie and Mme Guyon "had periodic attacks which included the following symptoms: sensations of extremes of heat and cold, trembling of the whole body, transient aphasia, automatisms, passivity feelings, hyperaesthesiae, childish regression, dissociation, somnambulism, transient paresis, increased suggestibility, and an inability to open the eyes."[27] [27][170]
Saint Teresa of Ávila 1515–1582 Visions, chronic headaches, transient loss of consciousness and also a four-day coma. [27][187]
Saint Catherine of Ricci
 		1522–1590 Visual hallucinations. Loss of consciousness for 28 hours. [27]
Saint Marguerite Marie
 		1647–1690 "[A]bnormal mental states" diagnosed as hysteria by Leuba; according to Dewhurst and Beard the symptoms may also suggest temporal lobe epilepsy. According to Dewhurst and Beard, Saint Catherine of Genoa, Saint Marguerite Marie and Mme Guyon "had periodic attacks which included the following symptoms: sensations of extremes of heat and cold, trembling of the whole body, transient aphasia, automatisms, passivity feelings, hyperaesthesiae, childish regression, dissociation, somnambulism, transient paresis, increased suggestibility, and an inability to open the eyes."[27] [27][170]
Mme Guyon
 		1648–1717 "[A]bnormal mental states" diagnosed as hysteria by Leuba; according to Dewhurst and Beard the symptoms may also suggest temporal lobe epilepsy. According to Dewhurst and Beard, Saint Catherine of Genoa, Saint Marguerite Marie and Mme Guyon "had periodic attacks which included the following symptoms: sensations of extremes of heat and cold, trembling of the whole body, transient aphasia, automatisms, passivity feelings, hyperaesthesiae, childish regression, dissociation, somnambulism, transient paresis, increased suggestibility, and an inability to open the eyes."[27] [27][170]
Emanuel Swedenborg 1688–1772 Swedish scientist, philosopher, seer, and theologian. [188]
Joseph Smith 1805–1844 Seized with a strange power, rendered speechless, and fell on his back. Visions of darkness and light. [27]
Ellen G. White 1827–1915 Severe head injury followed by three weeks of limited consciousness. Her visions involved loss of consciousness, upward eye deflection, visual hallucinations, affective changes, gestural automatisms, preservation of speech, a post-ictal-like period. Further, she meets several criteria for the Geschwind syndrome: extreme religiosity, hypergraphia (100,000 pages in 4,000 articles), repetitiveness, hypermoralism, and hyposexuality. [189][190][191]
Ramakrishna 1836–1886 Bengali mystic, highly influential in the development of Hindu Universalism and Neo-Vedanta, through his disciple Swami Vivekananda, who held that religious experience was a valid method of gaining knowledge. From the age of six onwards, he had ecstatic trances.[192][193] From his 10th or 11th year on, the trances became common, and by the final years of his life, Ramakrishna's samādhi periods occurred almost daily.[193] Early on, these experiences have been interpreted as epileptic seizures,[194][195][196][197] an interpretation which was rejected by Ramakrishna himself.[196] [194][195][192][193]
Saint Thérèse de Lisieux
 		1873–1897 Seized with "strange and violent tremblings all over her body". Visual hallucinations and celestial visions. [27]
Ramana Maharshi 1879–1950 At age 16, Ramana was seized by a sudden fear of death. He was struck by "a flash of excitement" or "heat", which he characterized as some avesam, a "spirit", "current" or "force" that seemed to possess him. After this event, he lost his interest in the usual life-routines, and immersed himself in emotional worship of Shiva and of Tamil saints. He left home, to live at the holy mountain Arunachala for the rest of his life, where he was worshipped as an avatar, due to his prolonged trance. In 1912, a major fit took place, accompanied with various sensations as a "white shield" over part of his vision, and "swimming in the head", and in which he lost consciousness. Ramana later stated that these fits appeared occasionally. [198][199][200]
Pio of Pietrelcina
 		1887–1968 Had visions at an early age about God, Jesus and the Virgin Mary. [27]
Jiddu Krishnamurti 1895–1986 Spiritual teacher, raised by
Theosophians
to become 'the world teacher.' In his 20s, he underwent an episode of severe pain in the neck accompanied by mystical experiences. Throughout his life "the process" occurred, accompanied by the presence of "the otherness". Sloss, daughter of Krishnamurti's long-term mistress, considered the process to be a purely physical event centred on sickness or trauma, and suggested the possibility of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. 		[201]

Misdiagnosis

Many famous people are incorrectly recorded as having epilepsy. In some cases there is no evidence at all to justify a diagnosis of epilepsy. In others, the symptoms have been misinterpreted. In some, the seizures were provoked by other causes, such as acute illness or

alcohol withdrawal.[4][202]

No evidence

The following people are often reported to have had epilepsy but there is no evidence that they had any attacks or illnesses that even resembled epilepsy.

Name Life Comments Reference
Cambyses II ?–521 BC Herodotus, writing eighty years after the king's death, is responsible for repeating what are now regarded as slanderous remarks that Cambyses was mad and had epilepsy. [203][204]
Pythagoras 582–507 BC [3]
Aristotle 384–322 BC [3]
Hannibal 247–183 BC Carthaginian military leader. [3]
Hermann von Helmholtz 1821–1894 [3]
Agatha Christie 1890–1976 [3]

Misdiagnosis by association

Many individuals have been mistakenly recorded as having epilepsy due to an association with someone (real or fictional) who did have epilepsy, or something similar.

Name Life Comments Reference
Dante Alighieri 1265–1321 In his fictional
La Divina Commedia
, he falls into a "dead faint". 		[3]
Isaac Newton 1643–1727 In 2000, a paper was published comparing Newton's psychosis with that of a patient with psychosis, who additionally happened to have generalised tonic-clonic seizures. It is possible that ambiguities in the introduction to this paper led readers to associate the epilepsy with Newton rather than the patient. [3][205]
Ludwig van Beethoven 1770–1827 His acquaintance Antonie Brentano had a son, Karl Joseph, who had epilepsy. [3]
Alfred, Lord Tennyson 1809–1892 Close family had epilepsy and
mental illness
, which led Tennyson to fear this in himself. 		[3]
William Morris 1834–1896 His daughter, May, had epilepsy and this caused Morris to question if his temper rages were related to this. [3]
Patrick Dempsey born 1966 Played a boy with epilepsy in the 1986
TV movie
"A Fighting Choice". He won an award from the Epilepsy Foundation for his convincing portrayal. 		[206]

Provoked seizures

The following people may have had one or more

epileptic seizures
but since the seizures were provoked, they do not result in a diagnosis of epilepsy:

Name Life Comments Reference
Edgar Allan Poe 1809–1849 Multiple scholars have suggested Poe may have had
alcohol withdrawal
. 		[3][207]
Leo Tolstoy 1828–1910 "Fits of spleen" and anguish attacks. Had seizures while dying of pneumonia. [3]
Algernon Charles Swinburne 1837–1909 Alcohol withdrawal attacks. [3]
Lewis Carroll 1832–1898 Migraine and a possible seizure that was probably due to the effects of drug withdrawal. [3]
Alfred Nobel 1833–1896 Febrile seizures in infancy. [3]
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 1840–1893 Seizures in the hours before death. Possible family history of epilepsy. [3]
Truman Capote 1924–1984 Alcohol withdrawal seizures. [3]
Richard Burton 1925–1984 Alcohol withdrawal seizures. [3]
Elton John born 1947 Drug- and alcohol-induced seizures [208]

Similar conditions

There are many conditions that produce

non-epileptic seizures
. When studied in detail, the attacks were more fully described as "fits of spleen", "seized by pain", "convulsed with anguish", etc.

Name Life Comments Reference
Alexander the Great 356–323 BC Collapsed after taking strong medicine for pneumonia. [209]
Charles the Fat c.839–888 Commonly regarded as a sickly king who had epilepsy, who had a "fit" in Frankfurt in 873. One author's recent detailed investigations cast doubt on the accuracy of certain reports, or their common interpretation. Instead, headache, malaria and a stroke are suggested. [210][211]
Alfred the Great 849–899 Acute pain. [3]
Leonardo da Vinci 1452–1519 Nervous shaking and spasms when furious. [3]
Michelangelo 1475–1564 A
faint
due to working in very hot weather. 		[3]
Martin Luther 1483–1546 In John Osborne's play Luther, his visions are the result of epileptic seizures. Luther had many documented illnesses, but any recurrent attacks were probably due to Ménière's disease. [212][213]
Cardinal Richelieu 1585–1642 Bouts of tears. [3]
Louis XIII of France
 		1601–1643 Episodes of violence, moodiness and fearfulness. [3]
Molière 1622–1673 A coughing fit. [3]
Blaise Pascal 1623–1662
Breath-holding spells
as a child. 		[3]
William III of England 1650–1702 Fainting and coughing fits. [3]
Jonathan Swift 1667–1745 Severe fits of giddiness due to Ménière's disease. [3]
George Frideric Handel 1685–1759 A stroke. [3]
William Pitt the Elder 1708–1778 Attacks of gout. [3]
Samuel Johnson 1709–1784 Tourette syndrome. [3]
Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1712–1778 Dizzy fits and agitation. [3]
James Madison 1751–1836 Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. [3]
Walter Scott 1771–1832 Seizures of
kidney stones
and, later, a stroke. 		[3]
Niccolò Paganini 1784–1840 Repeated collapsing due to weakness. [3]
Lord Byron 1788–1824
Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures
. 		[3]
Percy Bysshe Shelley 1792–1822 Fits of pain and nervous attacks. [3]
Hector Berlioz 1803–1869 "Fits of spleen". [3]
Robert Schumann 1810–1856 Depression and hallucinations. [3]
Charles Dickens 1812–1870 Renal colic. [3]
Søren Kierkegaard 1813–1855 Collapsing due to weakness. [3]
Gustave Flaubert 1821–1880 In 1984, Henri Gastaut proposed a very specific retrospective diagnosis of a particular form of complex partial epilepsy. More recent biographical information led John Hughes, in 2005, to conclude that Flaubert had psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, and migraine. [3][214]
Guy de Maupassant 1850–1893 Mental illness and hallucinations caused by inhaling ether. [3][215]
Vincent van Gogh 1853–1890 Over 150 physicians have produced nearly 30 different diagnoses for
van Gogh's illness. Henri Gastaut's posthumous diagnosis was "temporal lobe epilepsy precipitated by the use of absinthe in the presence of an early limbic lesion". This agrees with that of van Gogh's own doctor, Felix Rey, who prescribed potassium bromide. That van Gogh's personality closely matches the Geschwind syndrome
is seen as further evidence by some. Not everyone agrees – a recent review by John Hughes concluded that van Gogh did not have epilepsy. He certainly was mentally ill at times and had "fainting fits" after heavy drinking. 		[216][217]
Graham Greene 1904–1991 Greene was diagnosed with epilepsy as a young man, after several incidents during which he lost consciousness. His impending marriage was at risk and he considered suicide. Treatment consisted of good walks and Kepler's Malt Extract. Greene eventually distrusted the diagnosis and it is now considered likely that the episodes were fainting spells. [218]
John Berryman 1914–1972 Diagnosed with petit mal epilepsy, now estimated to have been nervous exhaustion. Berryman had depression and alcoholism. [219][220]

Notes and references

  1. ^ Jean Taxil (1602). "Traicté de l'Epilepsie". Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  2. ISBN 978-0-8018-4849-0
    .
  3. ^
    S2CID 10436691
    .
  4. ^ a b Jenna Martin. "Rewriting History: Did All Those Famous People Really Have Epilepsy?". Epilepsy.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  5. ^ Tom Raymond. "Bud Abbott Biography". Abbott and Costello – Who's on First. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  6. ISBN 978-0-8032-8970-3
    . Ward Bond, an epileptic 4-F, remained in the Hollywood
  7. ISBN 978-0-306-81284-2
    .
  8. ^ "Rip Taylor, the Confetti-tossing actor and comedian is dead". CNN (online). USA. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Борислав Брондуков :: Биография. Часть 3". brondukov.ru. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  10. ^ "Famous Star of the Big Screen steps out from the Shadows". International Bureau for Epilepsy. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  11. ^ Hara Estroff Marano (1996). "What killed Margaux Hemingway?". Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  12. ^ "Melanie Griffith: I Was Diagnosed with Epilepsy". 20 October 2017.
  13. ^ "Melanie Griffith Reveals Epilepsy Diagnosis".
  14. ^ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (10 June 2014). "Rik Mayall happy and healthy moments before death, says friend". The Guardian.
  15. ^ Anna Spencer and Linda Ray (writers) (1995). Portraits: People with Epilepsy (Video). Australia: Epilepsy Queensland Inc.
  16. ^ (writer) (2004). Portraits: Epileptic pep talk (Video). USA: Home & Garden Publications.
  17. ^ "Encephalitis Information Resource News". Archived from the original on 19 February 2007.
  18. ^ "Fatima Sana Shaikh opens up about epilepsy diagnosis, says exercising daily makes her 'feel good'" (online). INDIA: Indiatimes.com. 14 November 2022.
  19. ^ "Why Disney star Cameron Boyce's death from SUDEP underlines urgency of our research". Epilepsy Society. 31 July 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  20. S2CID 33556463.[dead link
    ]
  21. ^ Fridericia, J[ulius]. A[lbert]. (1892). Gyldenløve, Hans Ulrik, Dansk biografisk Lexikon, Bind VI: Gerson – H. Hansen. Gyldendal Boghandels. pp. 339–340.
  22. ISBN 978-87-635-3023-1
    .
  23. ISBN 978-0-7614-0914-4
    .
  24. ^ Terry H Jones. "Pius IX". Patron Saints Index. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  25. ISBN 978-0-19-926286-1
    .
  26. ^ "Pope Pius IX". L'Osservatore Romano. 2000. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  27. ^
    S2CID 28084208. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 30 September 2007.
  28. ^ Anne Adams. "Ida Saxton McKinley". History's Women: The Unsung Heroines. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  29. S2CID 14966309
    .
  30. ^ Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (translation by James Loeb). "The Life of Gaius (Caligula)". The Lives of the Twelve Caesars. Retrieved 13 February 2011.
  31. ISBN 978-0-7509-1812-1
    .
  32. ^ Stephen Poliakoff (writer, director) (2005). The Lost Prince (TV-Drama). UK: BBC.
  33. ^ Lionel Blue. "Donation Appeal". fundraisingdinner.com (Epilepsy Research Foundation). Archived from the original on 30 May 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2006.
  34. ^ "Celebrity Health – Rabbi Lionel Blue". BBC News. 10 September 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  35. ^ "Longaberger: Our History". The Longaberger Company. 2007. Archived from the original on 12 March 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  36. ^ "Joe Doyle – epilepsy loses a true advocate". Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  37. ^ Natalie Frazin. "White House-Initiated Conference on Epilepsy". National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Retrieved 7 February 2006.
  38. ^ "Congress Alerted to Critical Issues in Women's Health". Epilepsy Foundation. Retrieved 7 February 2006.
  39. ^ "This Miserable Little Case". Time. 1 February 1971. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2006.
  40. ^ "Milestones". Time. 7 January 1980. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2006.
  41. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8493-0351-7
    . neurologist Dr. John Doyle Sr. explained to Tony that he had epilepsy, a recurrent seizure disorder. He stated that, "The good news is that you don't have to serve in Vietnam, but the bad news is that you won't be able to become a Catholic priest – more specifically, a Jesuit." A section of the Roman Catholic Church's 1917 Code of Canon Law stated that those with epilepsy, or "possessed by the devil", could not be considered for ordination. […rescinded in the early 1980s]
  42. ^ "Tributes as Eamonn McCann quits Derry council on health grounds". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 2 March 2021.
  43. ^ John Roberts
  44. ^ https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/fianna-fail-senator-denis-odonovan-easing-out-of-political-life-after-epilepsy-diagnosis/40459905.html }}
  45. ^ UK Parliament. "Official record of debate in Westminster Hall, 12 October 2010". Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  46. ^ Paul Maynard. "Paul Maynard's biography". Website of Paul Maynard MP. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  47. ISBN 978-0-87930-736-3
    .
  48. ^ "Jimmy Reed: performer". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. 2005. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  49. ISBN 978-0-9529540-2-6
    . he went on daily medication to control his epilepsy – and grew to dislike the medication's effect on him so much that a few years later he stopped using, feeling that in his case control had more to do with personal stability than medication.
  50. ^ McLane, Daisann (1980). "Five Not So Easy Pieces". Rolling Stone. No. 310. Archived from the original on 16 January 2008.
  51. ISBN 978-1-84449-011-0
    .
  52. ISBN 978-0-473-00638-9
    .
  53. ^ "Making my mind up". NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent. May 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  54. ^ "Biography". Ian Curtis and Joy Division Fan Club. Archived from the original on 18 May 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  55. ^ artikeln, Karin Thunberg Frilansjournalist Flitig medarbetare i tidningen Vi Dela (10 December 2019). "Marie Fredriksson: "No faffing around"". Vi (in Swedish). Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  56. ^ "Prince reveals childhood epilepsy". BBC News Entertainment. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  57. ^ Close, Ajay (31 July 2004). "Richard Jobson: Pop star, poet, poseur – and, at last, auteur". The Independent. Retrieved 22 August 2009.[dead link]
  58. ^ "Susan Boyle Reveals Battle With Epilepsy". Contactmusic.com. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  59. ^ "Electricity". Radio New Zealand interview, 1998. Archived from the original on 22 October 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2007.
  60. ISBN 978-0-684-82409-3
    .
  61. ^ Daniel Brown (October 2005). "Vusi Mahlasela". Mondomix Portraits. Archived from the original on 6 January 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  62. ^ Newson, Kelly (17 March 2013). "Lil Wayne, Tone Loc and Morrissey all under the doctor's watch". Guardian Liberty Voice. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  63. ^ "Interview with Adam Horovitz". Details Magazine. June 1994.
  64. ^ "Interview with Adam Horovitz". Spin. 1994.
  65. ^ Thompson, Ben (25 April 2004). "Dead cert". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  66. ^ Montgomery, James (10 November 2004). "Despite Everything They Said, Thursday Aren't Breaking Up". VH1 Music News. Archived from the original on 16 April 2005. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  67. ^ Harris, Chris (27 September 2005). "Thursday Frontman Says He Doesn't Want To Exploit My Chemical Romance, But ..." MTV News. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  68. ^ "Shane Yellowbird dies at 42". 27 April 2022.
  69. ^ Gundersen, Edna (10 May 2013). "Lil Wayne can't recall seizures: 'I don't feel sick'". USA Today. Retrieved 10 May 2013.
  70. ^ kaufman, Gil (1 May 2013). "Lil Wayne Hospitalized Again For Seizures". MTV. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  71. ^ "Inspirational Epilepsy Stories: Jinxx". Epsy Health. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  72. ^ "Lauren Pritchard on Spring Awakening and Living With the Presleys". 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  73. ISBN 978-0-7864-1828-2
    .
  74. ISBN 978-0-7864-1828-2
    .
  75. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7864-1828-2
    .
  76. ^ "Our Board". Epilepsy Action (Australia). Archived from the original on 17 June 2005. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  77. ^ David Friedman (2005). "The ultimate team player". Hoops Hype. Archived from the original on 17 February 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  78. ^ "The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Bobby Jones". www.hoophall.com. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  79. ^ "Вячеслав Лемешев". profboxtr.ru. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  80. ^ Berger, Phil (7 October 1987). "Boxing Notebook; Marsh Finds Profitable Life Out of Ring". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  81. ISBN 978-0-9549999-0-2
    .
  82. ^ "Walker Suffers Second Seizure". The New York Times. Associated Press. 1 August 1988. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  83. ^ Anderson, Kristina Rebelo (4 December 1998). "The Uneasy Death of Florence Griffith Joyner". Salon. Archived from the original on 7 February 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  84. ^ not given (1 December 2006). "Wally Lewis reveals he has epilepsy". The Age. Retrieved 11 January 2007.
  85. ^ Matthew Hall (22 September 2002). "Wade ready to kick on again". The Age. Retrieved 12 August 2006.
  86. ^ "Coaching With Surgical Precision". Australian Headlines (National Epilepsy Magazine). Epilepsy Action (Australia). 2004. Archived from the original on 29 August 2006. Retrieved 12 August 2006.
  87. ^ James Raia (2007). "Marion Clignet: The Life & Times Of An Epileptic Cycling Champion". Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  88. ^ "Marion Clignet's Back". Retrieved 20 November 2008.
  89. ^ Epsy Health. "Inspirational Epilepsy Stories: Marion Clignet". epsyhealth.com. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  90. ^ Doug Gillon (2004). "The Journey to Athens" (PDF). Scottish Institute of Sport. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 November 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  91. ^ "Михаил Татаринов: двадцать лет ада". www.sport-express.ru (in Russian). 12 September 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  92. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Hervé Boussard Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  93. ^ "'Epilepsy is not disabling', says Jonty" (PDF). Epilepsy South Africa, National Newsletter. 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  94. ^ "Survey Reveals Impact Of Epilepsy On Men". Epilepsy Action. 2005. Retrieved 4 September 2007.
  95. ^ David Ferguson (24 October 2000). "Smith tries to put illness in perspective". The Scotsman. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  96. ^ a b "Tiki Barber: Epilepsy in the Family". 13 December 2007. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
  97. ^ "Epilepsy Foundation Salutes Steelers' Alan Faneca on Super Bowl Sunday". Epilepsy Foundation. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  98. ^ Adam Modzelesky. "Not Faster than a Speeding Bullet, but More Powerful than a Locomotive, this Man of Steel is an Inspiration for Everyone". Epilepsy USA. Retrieved 15 January 2006.
  99. ^ Epsy Health. "Inspirational Epilepsy Stories: Alan Faneca". epsyhealth.com. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  100. ^ "Alan Faneca | Pro Football Hall of Fame". pfhof. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  101. ^ "Ravens Cornerback Rolle Reveals He Has Epilepsy". ESPN. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2007.
  102. ^ Peggy Peck (2006). "Epilepsy can't stop U.S. Olympic goalie". MedPageToday.com. CNN. Retrieved 16 February 2006.
  103. ^ "Shedding Light On Epilepsy". Epilepsy Foundation. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
  104. ^ John Adams (7 July 2012). "More than a stroke of luck: Richmond Flowers can appreciate Davis Tarwater's success". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved 11 July 2012.
  105. ^ "Daily Hab-it: You take the good, you take the bad". CTV News Montreal. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  106. ^ "Бывший хоккеист ЦСКА лечится от эпилепсии в Канаде". РИА Новости (in Russian). 28 July 2004. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  107. London Evening Standard. Archived from the original
    on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  108. ^ Malone, Sam (8 September 2011). "Gold medal hero Dai Greene: Athletics freed me from my battle with epilepsy". Western Mail. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  109. ^ "TV and sport stars back Katie Ford's world record attempt". scotsman.com. 30 June 2017.
  110. ^ "Buddy Franklin health: Swans star hospitalised after suffering suspected seizure". The Daily telegraph. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  111. ^ "Jeffress added as Brewers' 5th All-Star". MLB.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  112. ^ "SN Conversation: Brewers' Jeremy Jeffress talks about epilepsy, rehab realizations and his dog". www.sportingnews.com. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  113. ^ "mystoryisslightlydifferenttosomeoneelses". www.irishtimes.com. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  114. ^ "Boxer's manager 'knew nothing of seizures'". BBC News. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  115. ^ "World of Dance Star Briar Nolet Aims to Inspire Following Her Epilepsy Diagnosis: "Do What You Love"". PopSugar. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  116. ^ "World of Dance Star Aims to Inspire Following Her Epilepsy Diagnosis: "Do What You Love"". The Epilepsy Network. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  117. ^ "Ohio State QB Justin Fields managing epilepsy as he heads into 2021 NFL Draft". NFL.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  118. ^ "Justin Fields signs rookie contract with Bears; initial first-round QB to agree to deal". NFL.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  119. ^ "Edward Lear". Charge – The experience of Epilepsy. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  120. ^ "Fyodor Dostoevsky". Charge – The experience of Epilepsy. Retrieved 2 February 2006.
  121. S2CID 2492211
    .
  122. ^ Stanley L. Klos (2001). "George Inness". Virtualology.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2006.
  123. ^ Dunn, Waldo Hilary (1956). R. D. Blackmore: The Author of Lorna Doone, a Biography. R. Hale. pp. 19, 74, 253.
  124. PMID 17214131
    . Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  125. PMID 8539743
    .
  126. ^ "Ion Creangă". National Institute For Research & Development in Informatics. Archived from the original on 25 October 2006. Retrieved 28 November 2006.
  127. PMID 1308419
    .
  128. PMID 11105089
    .
  129. ^ "Dmitri Sinodi-Popov". Official Website of the City of Taganrog. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  130. S2CID 1720104
    .
  131. PMID 16562514
    .
  132. ISBN 978-1-57003-463-3
    .
  133. ^ Knight, John (2000). "Laurie Lee: Myth And Reality – Book Review". Contemporary Review (June 2000). Archived from the original on 26 March 2006.
  134. ^ Evans, Rian (4 September 2006). "Obituary: Sir Kyffin Williams". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  135. ^ "What would they do now? – Max Clifford on how today's monarchy might handle Prince John". BBC Worldwide Press Releases. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  136. ^ Armstrong, Karen (20 May 2005). "I'm no freak, so don't treat me like one". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  137. ISBN 978-0-00-712229-5
    .
  138. ^ Natalie Angier (12 October 1993). "In the Temporal Lobes, Seizures and Creativity". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  139. ^ Whittington-Egan, Richard (June 2002). "Stephen Knight". Ripperologist. 41. Retrieved 24 November 2006.
  140. Fayetteville Observer
    . 29 November 1999.
  141. ^ Sierra, Kathy (11 April 2005). "Who's in charge – you or your brain?". Creating Passionate Users. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  142. ^ Heathcote Williams (1 May 2006). "Obituary: Jago Eliot". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  143. ^ "DJ Rick O'Shea reveals his battle with epilepsy and says he won't be beaten by it". 3 July 2012.
  144. ^ "Miss Jean Clemens Found Dead in Bath". The New York Times. 24 December 1909. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  145. ^ Trombley, Laura Skandera. "'She Wanted to Kill': Jean Clemens and Postictal Psychosis". Pitzer College. Archived from the original on 2 September 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2006.
  146. ^ Chris Taylor (31 July 1998). "Peace at Last for the Hanged Man". Time. Archived from the original on 19 September 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  147. ^ United Press (7 August 1954). "Frailest Of 5 Dionnes Found Dead in Convent". Statesville Record & Landmark.
  148. ^ (unknown) (9 August 1954). "Emilie Dionne Laid To Rest Amid Bitter Sobs Of Surviving Quintuplets". The Newport Daily News.
  149. ^ Warner, Jack. "The Village Eccentric on Trial". Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  150. ^ Jordan, Thomas (15 January 2002). "Scientist Don Wiley May Have Had Seizure". The Commercial Appeal.
  151. ^ Nick Hopkins; Steven Morris (2 July 2001). "Life and times of Barry George". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  152. ISBN 978-1-4013-2430-8
  153. ^ Daniel Tammet. "Charity". Optimnem (official web site of Daniel Tammet). Retrieved 28 November 2006.
  154. ^ Richard Johnson (12 February 2005). "A genius explains". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  155. ^ "Cinema Snob review of 'Turkish Star Wars'". Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  156. ^ "Keith Wallace: Creating The Wine School of Philadelphia". 10 October 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  157. PMID 16529635.[dead link
    ]
  158. S2CID 34640921
    .
  159. PMID 7738524
    .
  160. S2CID 11730078
  161. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(00)66180-9
    .
  162. S2CID 23675533
    .
  163. ^ NPR https://www.npr.org/2019/11/03/775818750/harriet-tubmans-visions. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  164. ^ "Did Harriet Tubman have epilepsy? | Epilepsy blog".
  165. PMID 12131961
    .
  166. OCLC 1191844202
    .
  167. ^
    S2CID 32445013
  168. ^ a b c d e Peter Fenwick (1980). "The Neurophysiology of the Brain: Its Relationship to Altered States of Consciousness (With emphasis on the Mystical Experience)". Wrekin Trust. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2006.
  169. ^
    S2CID 206984751
  170. ^ a b c d Leuba, J.H. (1925), The psychology of religious mysticism, Harcourt, Brace
  171. ^ Bryant, Ernest J. (1953). Genius and Epilepsy. Brief sketches of Great Men Who Had Both. Concord, Massachusetts: Ye Old Depot Press.
  172. ^ a b Aaen-Stockdale, Craig (2012), "Neuroscience for the soul", The Psychologist, 25 (7): 520–523
  173. ^
    S2CID 22179745
  174. ^ William Barr (22 September 2003). "Is there an epileptic personality?". Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  175. ^ Peter Fenwick (7 January 1994). "Untitled". 4th International Science Symposium on Science and Consciousness. Retrieved 15 August 2006.
  176. ^ Picard, Fabienne; Kurth, Florian (2014), "Ictal alterations of consciousness during ecstatic seizures", Epilepsy & Behavior, 30: 58–61,
    S2CID 45743175
  177. ^ Gschwind, Markus; Picard, Fabienne (2014), "Ecstatic Epileptic Seizures - the Role of the Insual in Altered Self-Awareness", Epileptologie, 31
  178. PMID 15587438. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 20 March 2009.
  179. PMID 12044200
    .
  180. ^ Motluk, Alison (17 November 2001). "Old Testament prophet showed epileptic symptoms". New Scientist. Retrieved 21 July 2006.
  181. ISBN 978-0-8028-4778-2
    .
  182. PMID 7801224
    .
  183. S2CID 15255983
    .
  184. ^ Anne-Marie Landtblom (2001). "Was St. Birgitta suffering from epilepsy?" (PDF). Epigraph. International League Against Epilepsy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2006.
  185. S2CID 221736116
    .
  186. S2CID 24961015
    .
  187. PMID 14606057
    .
  188. S2CID 221731257
    .
  189. ^ Delbert H. Hodder; Gregory Holmes. "Ellen G. White and the Seventh-day Adventist Church: Visions or Partial-Complex Seizures?". Abstract of presentation at the American Academy of Neurology. The Ellen White Research Project. Archived from the original on 17 June 2006. Retrieved 10 August 2006. Note: This web site may not be considered a neutral source.
  190. ^ Molleurus Couperus (June 1985). "The Significance of Ellen White's Head Injury". Adventist Currents. The Ellen White Research Project. Archived from the original on 27 June 2006. Retrieved 10 August 2006. Note: This web site may not be considered a neutral source.
  191. ^ Visions or Seizures: Was Ellen White the Victim of Epilepsy? by Donald I. Peterson, MD
  192. ^ a b Zaleski 2006, pp. 162–163.
  193. ^ a b c Bhawuk 2003.
  194. ^ a b Bardwell L. Smith (1982), Hinduism: New Essays in the History of Religions, BRILL, p.70
  195. ^ a b Vivekananda (Swami), Advaita Ashrama, Prabuddha Bharata: Or Awakened India, Volume 110, p.482
  196. ^ a b Swami Adiswarananda (2005), The Spiritual Quest and the Way of Yoga: The Goal, the Journey and the Milestones p.65
  197. ^ Katrak 2006.
  198. ^ Godman, David (7 May 2008). "Arunachala and Ramana Maharshi: Bhagavan's death experience". Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  199. ^ Narasimha Swami (1993), Self Realisation: The Life and Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Ramanasraman
  200. ^ G.K. Pillai (2015), Monks are from Meditating Monkeys: Unravelling the Algorithm of True Spiritual Awakening, chapter six
  201. ISBN 978-0-7475-0720-8
    .
  202. The National Society for Epilepsy
    . pp. 151–154. Retrieved 29 October 2008.
  203. ISBN 978-0-674-99133-0. Retrieved 3 September 2006. he is said to have been afflicted from his birth with that grievous disease which some call "sacred." (Epilepsy)[permanent dead link
    ]
  204. PMID 11594937
    .
  205. PMID 10698822
    .
  206. ^ "Patrick Dempsey Biography". TV.com. CNET. 2006. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2006.
  207. PMID 10369317
    .
  208. ^ Russell, Lauren (23 November 2021). "Elton John health: Star admits he 'should be dead'". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  209. S2CID 40812322
    .
  210. ISBN 978-90-04-13149-1
    . Charles suffered seriously from epilepsy
  211. ISBN 978-0-521-81945-9
    .
  212. ^ Irma Jacqueline Ozer (June 2006). "Epilepsy in Literature and Its Reflection in Society". Breath & Shadow. Archived from the original on 10 August 2006. Retrieved 28 August 2006.
  213. PMID 2529669
    .
  214. S2CID 35430227
    .
  215. S2CID 43274906
    .
  216. S2CID 43106568
    .
  217. S2CID 41174568
    .
  218. S2CID 21064153
    .
  219. ISBN 978-1-55849-017-8
    . Dr Gene Shafarman … told Berryman that he had been diagnosed as having a mild form of epilepsy called petit mal.
  220. ^ Athey, Joel (1999). "John Berryman's Life and Career". Modern American Poetry. Department of English, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved 31 August 2006.

Sources


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_people_with_epilepsy&oldid=1217938064"