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. 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. 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. 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: Similar conditions There are many conditions that produce paroxysmal attacks or events. These events (especially in historical, non-medical literature such as biographies) are often called fits, seizures or convulsions. Those terms do not exclusively apply to epilepsy and such events are sometimes categorised as non-epileptic seizures. When studied in detail, the attacks were more fully described as "fits of spleen", "seized by pain", "convulsed with anguish", etc. Notes and references Sources Lists of people with disabilities Epilepsy