CAUSES OF SEIZURES

AND EPILEPSY

-Sowjanya
Roll no.23

e clinical observations emphasize how a variety of factors determine why certain

ditions may cause seizures or epilepsy in a given patient-

e normal brain is capable of having a seizure under the appropriate circumstance

e are differences between individuals in the susceptibility or threshold for seizure

ere are a variety of conditions that have extremely high likelihood of resulting in
nic seizure disorder,for example a severe penetrating head trauma

zures are episodic. Patients with epilepsy have seizure intermittently and
nding upon the underlying cause many patients may be normal for few months
implies there are important provocative and precipating factors that induce seizu
pitants include those due to intrinsic physiological processes such as psychologi
hysical stress,sleep deprivation or harmonal changes associated with menustral c

e observations emphasize that many causes of seizures and epilepsy result from
mic interplay between endogenous,epileptogenic and precipitating factors. The
ntial role of each should be carefully considered when determining the appropria
agement of patient with seizures.

Causes of epilepsy
Primary generalized epilepsy, e.g. JME
Developmental, e.g. hamartomas, neuronal
migration abnormalities
Hippocampal sclerosis
Brain trauma and surgery
Intracranial mass lesions, e.g. tumour,
neurocysticercosis
Vascular, e.g. cerebral infarction, AVM
Encephalitis and inflammatory conditions, e.g.
herpes simplex, MS
Metabolic abnormalities, e.g. hyponatraemia,
hypocalcaemia
Neurodegenerative disorders, e.g. Alzheimers
Drugs, e.g. ciclosporin, lidocaine, quinolones,
tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics, lithium,
stimulant drugs, e.g. cocaine

Neonates (<1 month)

Perinatal hypoxia and ischemia

Intracranial hemorrhage and trauma
Acute CNS infection
Metabolic disturbances (hypoglycemia,
hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia,
pyridoxine deficiency)
Drug withdrawal
Developmental disorders
Genetic disorders

Infants and children (>1 Febrile seizures

month and <12 years)
Genetic disorders (metabolic,
degenerative, primary epilepsy
syndromes)
CNS infection
Developmental disorders
Trauma
Idiopathic

Adolescents (1218 years)

Trauma
Genetic disorders
Infection
Brain tumor
Illicit drug use
Idiopathic

Young adults (1835 years)

Trauma
Alcohol withdrawal
Illicit drug use
Brain tumor
Idiopathic

Older adults (>35 years)

Cerebrovascular disease
Brain tumor
Alcohol withdrawal
Metabolic disorders (uremia,
hepatic failure, electrolyte
abnormalities, hypoglycemia,
hyperglycemia)
Alzheimer's disease and other
degenerative CNS diseases
Idiopathic

THANK
YOU