Epilepsy - Cause
Epilepsy may develop even though you do not have any risk factors (things that increase your risk). A cause cannot always be identified. This is especially true in many forms of childhood epilepsy. For some people, epilepsy can result from a tumor, infection, or damage to the brain.
Children and older adults are most likely to develop epilepsy, but it can start at any age. It is possible that epilepsy may run in families. But you do not have to have a family history to develop epilepsy.
Understanding Absence Seizure -- Symptoms
Because absence seizures are usually quite brief, tend to strike during times of inactivity, and closely resemble daydreaming or "being off in one's own world," they may pass unnoticed by others and go undiagnosed for some time. Absence seizures fall into two categories: typical and atypical. Typical absence seizures begin abruptly, last 10 to 30 seconds, and resolve themselves without complication. The person simply stops in his tracks (and/or mid-sentence), and enters a staring, trance-like state...
Read the Understanding Absence Seizure -- Symptoms article > >
Epileptic seizures occur when abnormal bursts of electricity in the brain briefly upset normal brain function. It's not always clear what triggers the bursts of abnormal electrical activity.
Conditions that can cause seizures include:
- Head injury.
- Stroke or conditions that affect the blood vessels (vascular system) in the brain.
- Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the brain.
- Brain tumor.
- Brain infection, such as meningitis or encephalitis.
- Alzheimer's disease.
- Alcohol or drug abuse or withdrawal.
Tumors, scar tissue from injury or disease, or abnormal brain development may damage a specific area of the brain and cause partial seizures. But you may not have any of these conditions and still develop epilepsy.
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