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WASHINGTON - United States Chief Justice John Roberts suffered a seizure and was taken to hospital yesterday but a neurological evaluation showed no cause for concern, a Supreme Court spokeswoman says.
"[He suffered] what doctors describe as a benign idiopathic seizure," Kathy Arberg said.
Roberts, 52, suffered minor scrapes in the fall.
He was to stay overnight at the hospital as a precaution.
He experienced a similar seizure in 1993, Arberg said.
Seizures occur because of sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain. They can often cause a person's body to shake rapidly and uncontrollably, but not all seizures cause convulsions.
An idiopathic seizure is one that has no known cause. Most seizures last from 30 seconds to two minutes and do not cause lasting harm.
Seizures can have many causes, including medications, high fevers, head injuries and certain diseases.
Roberts, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2005, is the youngest of the nine Supreme Court justices, who are all appointed to life terms.
The incident occurred during the Supreme Court's three-month summer recess.
- REUTERS
