Context:
World Purple Day was observed globally to raise awareness on epilepsy.
World Purple Day:
- Aim – To increase awareness about epilepsy worldwide.
- Observed on March 26th annually
- Events – People in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness.
- Canada – Only country in the world officially recognized March 26th as Purple Day.
Epilepsy:
- A chronic non-communicable disease of the brain (central nervous system)
- 4th most common neurological disorder after migraine, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease
- Causes of epilepsy include – structural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, immune and unknown.
- More common in young children and older adults
- Symptoms – Alterations to sense of taste, smell, sight, hearing, or touch, tingling and twitching of limbs, Staring blankly, loss of awareness or consciousness.
- Cure – No cure for epilepsy but treatment
Every year the second Monday of February is observed as International Epilepsy Day (IED).
Vagus nerve:
- Also called 10th cranial nerve (X cranial nerve)
- Longest and most complex of the cranial nerves.
- A pair of nerves, one on each side, that run from brainstem, through the neck, to chest and stomach.
- Forms a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Report named Epilepsy, public health imperative:
- Released by – World Health Organization (WHO)
- 1st global report on epilepsy summarizing the available evidence on the burden of epilepsy and the public health response required at global, regional and national levels.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Consider the following diseases
1. Diphtheria
2. Chickenpox
3. Smallpox
Which of the above diseases has/have been eradicated in India?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2014 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3
(d) None
Answer: (b)
