Brain processes can be likened to a complicated dance, like a ballet, where each dancer represents a different part of the brain. Normal brain function can be thought of as classic ballet which is complex and unpredictable, but has certain rules that all of the dancers follow.

A seizure is a particular brain state whereby instead of performing a ballet the dancers are simply marching in step to a particular beat, performing the same step over and over again. Though the same basic rules are still being followed the dance is now much simpler and predictable.

During a seizure the brain's complexity, beauty, and unpredictability are replaced by a much simpler, bland and predictable process. Instead of performing a complicated dance the brain, during a seizure, is marching in step. When this happens the complex and important functions that the brain routinely performs are replaced by a more simple and useless function. The brain is said to be in a hyper-synchronous state during a seizure and in a desynchronized state.

Anyone's brain can, if stressed enough, be forced into this kind of seizure behavior. By stress it is meant that the brain experiences some situation that is more extreme than the usual day to day experiences it encounters.

Examples of such stresses are high fever, body chemistry changes associated with drug or medication use, sleep deprivation, hyperventilation, physical over exertion, electrolyte imbalances, head trauma, brain related infections or inflammation, brain tumors, brain vascular malformations or bleeds, hormonal cycles, etc. Also, some abnormal developmental conditions are associated with areas of the brain that are more prone to manifest seizures.

Cortical dysplasia is a common cause for seizures in patients who undergo epilepsy surgery. Cortical dysplasia is when a portion of the brain cortex (outer layer of the brain) develops slightly differently, in that the usual well defined layered organization of the neurons and supporting cells form an abnormal structure instead. This abnormal microstructure of the neurons is more prone to manifesting the seizure state by supporting hyper-synchronous network activity.