Health Centres - Epilepsy - what are the causes?
What causes epilepsy?
Epilepsy is caused by abnormal electric impulses in groups of nerve cells (neurons) found in the brain. For diagnostic purposes, epilepsy is divided into two main groups
- There may be an hereditary (genetic) background, since epilepsy of the same type is often seen among relatives. Moreover, EEG irregularities similar to those of the patient are often seen among family members, even if they do not suffer from epilepsy - a kind of genetic mark. New research has shown that certain cases of idiopathic epilepsy are clearly hereditary, caused by chromosomal abnormality.
Symptomatic epilepsy
Epilepsy triggers
Trauma to the skull
Blood clots (infarcts) and haemorrhages in the brain
Brain tumours
Encephalitis
- The patient has no other signs of neurological illness or mental defects. CT and MRI scans are normal.
Epilepsy of this type is caused by a known illness in the brain.
Numerous illnesses or types of brain damage can cause epilepsy. The following are the most common.
Unlike ordinary concussion, trauma can be so serious that the patient is admitted to a neuro-surgical ward. The possibility of epilepsy following trauma varies from 5 to 50 per cent, with the highest risk following a depressed skull fracture where the brain tissue has been partly damaged, or a gunshot wound to the head.
About 10 per cent of all brain infarcts cause epilepsy.
Especially slow-growing superficial tumours. Since these can be surgically removed, it is important to check for these if a patient develops epilepsy, especially if the attacks start in a limited part of the brain (focal attacks - consult the article on the types of attacks). The most important techniques are CT scans and MRI scans.
Prolonged seizures and fever convulsions could induce brain damage.
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