Epilepsy Causes

 Epilepsy Causes

In many cases a specific cause for epilepsy cannot be found but some known causes include: head injuries, pre-birth trauma, chemical imbalances, certain infections in the brain, (e.g. encephalitis and meningitis), strokes and brain tumours. If both parents have a strong family history of epilepsy, their child may be at higher risk which means that one can inherit the tendency to have epilepsy. The diagnosis of epilepsy usually requires that the seizures occur spontaneously. Nevertheless, certain epilepsy syndromes require particular precipitants or triggers for seizures to occur. These are termed reflex epilepsy. Photosensitive epilepsy can be limited to seizures triggered by flashing lights. Other precipitants can trigger an epileptic seizure in patients who otherwise would be susceptible to spontaneous seizures. For example, children with childhood absence epilepsy may be susceptible to hyperventilation. In fact, flashing lights and hyperventilation are activating procedures used in clinical EEG to help trigger seizures to aid diagnosis. Finally, other precipitants can facilitate, rather than obligately trigger, seizures in susceptible individuals. Emotional stress, sleep deprivation, sleep itself, heat stress, alcohol and febrile illness are examples of precipitants cited by patients with epilepsy. Notably, the influence of various precipitants varies with the epilepsy syndrome. Likewise, the menstrual cycle in women with epilepsy can influence patterns of seizure recurrence. Catamenial epilepsy is the term denoting seizures linked to the menstrual cycle.

Epilepsy Causes

Epilepsy Causes

Epilepsy Causes

Epilepsy Causes

Epilepsy Causes

Epilepsy Causes

Epilepsy Causes

Epilepsy Causes

Epilepsy Causes