| The Causes of Epilepsy |
| Epilepsy or seizure disorder is a physical condition that occurs when there is a sudden, brief change in how the brain works. When brain cells are not working properly, a person's consciousness, movement, or actions may be altered for a short time - epileptic seizures. |
Anneger JF and Co-workers at The University of Texas Health
Science Center at Houston suggested various possible causes for
epilepsy such as traumatic brain injuries, central nervous system
infections, cerebrovascular disease, brain tumors,
neurodegenerative diseases, developmental disabilities, perinatal
insults, and familial factors in their review article. [6]
Genetic Disorders
Sánchez-Carpintero Abad R (rsanchezc@unav.es) from Clinica
Universitaria de Navarra, pointed out that genetic factors contribute
to the origin of different epilepsies and most are idiopathic epilepsy.
However, the most common forms of epilepsy are not caused by
single mutations but by a combination of polymorphisms, the
changes generate an alteration in neuronal excitability. In some
syndromes, genetic alterations and their consequences lead to the
therapeutic response to different drugs. [1]
Jaeken J. (jaak.jaeken@uz.kuleuven.ac.be) from University Hospital
Gasthuisberg, Belgium, stated that genetic disorders of
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and serine metabolism
and of the GABA and glycine receptors can be causes of epilepsy.
For example, pyridoxine-dependent convulsions and the GABA(A)
receptor defects are pure epileptic disorders and they both respond
well to treatment. The convulsions associated with
3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase deficiency can be completely
treated with amino acid therapy. [2]
Disorders
Sisodiya SM (sisodiya@ion.ucl.ac.uk) at The University College
London wrote that malformations of of cortical development (MCD)
are important causes of chronic epilepsy in her review article. [3]
Focal cortical dysplasia, periventricular heterotopia, polymicrogyria,
band heterotopia and lissencephaly, dysembryoplastic
neuroepithelial tumours, and microdysgenesis enlighten the
malformations of of cortical development. [3]
Masukawa LM and co-workers at the University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine believed paroxysmal discharges are critical for
the development of epilepsy. The presence of paroxysmal
discharges in the epileptic human dentate gyrus provides a
physiologic basis for hyperexcitability that may initiate seizure
discharges during the development of epilepsy. [4] Paroxysmal
discharges are a more common feature of tissue from temporal lobe
epileptic patients than has been reported previously. Hilar cell loss
and weakened synaptic inhibition could provide conditions favorable
for the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate acid (NMDA) receptors
that would allow triggering of paroxysmal discharges that normally
never are evoked in dentate granule cells in nonepileptic humans. [4]
As the dentate gyrus in normal animal tissue is not susceptible to
intrinsic bursting behavior and is characterized by a relatively short
duration excitatory postsynaptic potential even under pharmacologic
disinhibition, paroxysmal discharges in the epileptic human dentate
gyrus become an important clue to understanding the prerequisite
conditions for seizure discharge. [4]
Age
Seizures and epilepsy are common problems in older adults.
Although, the highest incidence of seizures and epilepsy occurs in
individuals more than 65 years of age. [5]
Injury
Temkin NR at the University of Washington, Seattle noticed that
post-traumatic seizures often occur after severe head injury.
Acutely, these seizures complicate management of the head-injured
patient by increasing intracranial pressure and causing postictal
decreases in level of consciousness. In the long term, epilepsy can
have a negative effect on the patient's functioning and integration
into society. The more severe the head injury, the more likely that
post-traumatic seizures will occur. The risk of late seizures exceeds
30% for patients with penetrating head injury, intracerebral
hematoma, subdural hematoma, depressed skull fracture, or seizure
within the first week after injury. Late post-traumatic seizures are
treated the same as any epileptic seizures of the same type.
Phenytoin and carbamazepine are effective in preventing seizures in
the first week after head injury, but are not effective in preventing
late seizures. Temkin NR further suggested that both additional
antiepileptic drugs and neuroprotective agents that may lessen the
damage that leads to seizures are being investigated to determine if
they are effective in preventing the occurrence of post-traumatic
epilepsy. [6]
Diseases
Ettinger AB at State University of New York at Stony Brook wrote that
stroke is the most common cause of seizures in adults, especially in
the elderly, while tumor is another major cause for people aged from
25 to 64. Cysts and vascular malformations are becoming common
causes for epilepsy. [7]
Cancer Drugs
Singh G from Dayanand Medical College, India, suggested that
intracranial metastasis, cancer drugs and metabolic disturbances
are the most common causes. Several drugs used in the treatment
of cancer, or complications arising from their use, can trigger
seizures through varied mechanisms. [8]
Reference
[1] Sánchez-Carpintero Abad R, et al, Genetic causes of epilepsy.
Neurologist. 2007 Nov;13(6 Suppl 1):S47-51. [2] Jaeken J. Genetic
disorders of gamma-aminobutyric acid, glycine, and serine as
causes of epilepsy. J Child Neurol. 2002 Dec;17 Suppl 3:3S84-7;
discussion 3S88. [3] Sisodiya SM. Malformations of cortical
development: burdens and insights from important causes of human
epilepsy. Lancet Neurol. 2004 Jan;3(1):29-38. [4] Masukawa LM, et
al, Physiological and anatomical correlates of the human dentate
gyrus: consequences or causes of epilepsy. Adv Neurol.
1999;79:781-94. [5] Sirven JI. Epilepsy in older adults: causes,
consequences and treatment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1998
Oct;46(10):1291-301. [6] Annegers JF, Rocca WA, Hauser WA.
Causes of epilepsy: contributions of the Rochester epidemiology
project. Mayo Clin Proc. 1996 Jun;71(6):570-5. [6] Temkin NR,
Haglund MM, Winn HR. Causes, prevention, and treatment of
post-traumatic epilepsy. New Horiz. 1995 Aug;3(3):518-22. [7]
Ettinger AB. Structural causes of epilepsy. Tumors, cysts, stroke,
and vascular malformations. Neurol Clin. 1994 Feb;12(1):41-56. [8]
Singh G, et al, Seizures and epilepsy in oncological practice:
causes, course, mechanisms and treatment. J Neurol Neurosurg
Psychiatry. 2007 Apr;78(4):342-9.
The treatments for Epilepsy (General)
Science Center at Houston suggested various possible causes for
epilepsy such as traumatic brain injuries, central nervous system
infections, cerebrovascular disease, brain tumors,
neurodegenerative diseases, developmental disabilities, perinatal
insults, and familial factors in their review article. [6]
Genetic Disorders
Sánchez-Carpintero Abad R (rsanchezc@unav.es) from Clinica
Universitaria de Navarra, pointed out that genetic factors contribute
to the origin of different epilepsies and most are idiopathic epilepsy.
However, the most common forms of epilepsy are not caused by
single mutations but by a combination of polymorphisms, the
changes generate an alteration in neuronal excitability. In some
syndromes, genetic alterations and their consequences lead to the
therapeutic response to different drugs. [1]
Jaeken J. (jaak.jaeken@uz.kuleuven.ac.be) from University Hospital
Gasthuisberg, Belgium, stated that genetic disorders of
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and serine metabolism
and of the GABA and glycine receptors can be causes of epilepsy.
For example, pyridoxine-dependent convulsions and the GABA(A)
receptor defects are pure epileptic disorders and they both respond
well to treatment. The convulsions associated with
3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase deficiency can be completely
treated with amino acid therapy. [2]
Disorders
Sisodiya SM (sisodiya@ion.ucl.ac.uk) at The University College
London wrote that malformations of of cortical development (MCD)
are important causes of chronic epilepsy in her review article. [3]
Focal cortical dysplasia, periventricular heterotopia, polymicrogyria,
band heterotopia and lissencephaly, dysembryoplastic
neuroepithelial tumours, and microdysgenesis enlighten the
malformations of of cortical development. [3]
Masukawa LM and co-workers at the University of Pennsylvania
School of Medicine believed paroxysmal discharges are critical for
the development of epilepsy. The presence of paroxysmal
discharges in the epileptic human dentate gyrus provides a
physiologic basis for hyperexcitability that may initiate seizure
discharges during the development of epilepsy. [4] Paroxysmal
discharges are a more common feature of tissue from temporal lobe
epileptic patients than has been reported previously. Hilar cell loss
and weakened synaptic inhibition could provide conditions favorable
for the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate acid (NMDA) receptors
that would allow triggering of paroxysmal discharges that normally
never are evoked in dentate granule cells in nonepileptic humans. [4]
As the dentate gyrus in normal animal tissue is not susceptible to
intrinsic bursting behavior and is characterized by a relatively short
duration excitatory postsynaptic potential even under pharmacologic
disinhibition, paroxysmal discharges in the epileptic human dentate
gyrus become an important clue to understanding the prerequisite
conditions for seizure discharge. [4]
Age
Seizures and epilepsy are common problems in older adults.
Although, the highest incidence of seizures and epilepsy occurs in
individuals more than 65 years of age. [5]
Injury
Temkin NR at the University of Washington, Seattle noticed that
post-traumatic seizures often occur after severe head injury.
Acutely, these seizures complicate management of the head-injured
patient by increasing intracranial pressure and causing postictal
decreases in level of consciousness. In the long term, epilepsy can
have a negative effect on the patient's functioning and integration
into society. The more severe the head injury, the more likely that
post-traumatic seizures will occur. The risk of late seizures exceeds
30% for patients with penetrating head injury, intracerebral
hematoma, subdural hematoma, depressed skull fracture, or seizure
within the first week after injury. Late post-traumatic seizures are
treated the same as any epileptic seizures of the same type.
Phenytoin and carbamazepine are effective in preventing seizures in
the first week after head injury, but are not effective in preventing
late seizures. Temkin NR further suggested that both additional
antiepileptic drugs and neuroprotective agents that may lessen the
damage that leads to seizures are being investigated to determine if
they are effective in preventing the occurrence of post-traumatic
epilepsy. [6]
Diseases
Ettinger AB at State University of New York at Stony Brook wrote that
stroke is the most common cause of seizures in adults, especially in
the elderly, while tumor is another major cause for people aged from
25 to 64. Cysts and vascular malformations are becoming common
causes for epilepsy. [7]
Cancer Drugs
Singh G from Dayanand Medical College, India, suggested that
intracranial metastasis, cancer drugs and metabolic disturbances
are the most common causes. Several drugs used in the treatment
of cancer, or complications arising from their use, can trigger
seizures through varied mechanisms. [8]
Reference
[1] Sánchez-Carpintero Abad R, et al, Genetic causes of epilepsy.
Neurologist. 2007 Nov;13(6 Suppl 1):S47-51. [2] Jaeken J. Genetic
disorders of gamma-aminobutyric acid, glycine, and serine as
causes of epilepsy. J Child Neurol. 2002 Dec;17 Suppl 3:3S84-7;
discussion 3S88. [3] Sisodiya SM. Malformations of cortical
development: burdens and insights from important causes of human
epilepsy. Lancet Neurol. 2004 Jan;3(1):29-38. [4] Masukawa LM, et
al, Physiological and anatomical correlates of the human dentate
gyrus: consequences or causes of epilepsy. Adv Neurol.
1999;79:781-94. [5] Sirven JI. Epilepsy in older adults: causes,
consequences and treatment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1998
Oct;46(10):1291-301. [6] Annegers JF, Rocca WA, Hauser WA.
Causes of epilepsy: contributions of the Rochester epidemiology
project. Mayo Clin Proc. 1996 Jun;71(6):570-5. [6] Temkin NR,
Haglund MM, Winn HR. Causes, prevention, and treatment of
post-traumatic epilepsy. New Horiz. 1995 Aug;3(3):518-22. [7]
Ettinger AB. Structural causes of epilepsy. Tumors, cysts, stroke,
and vascular malformations. Neurol Clin. 1994 Feb;12(1):41-56. [8]
Singh G, et al, Seizures and epilepsy in oncological practice:
causes, course, mechanisms and treatment. J Neurol Neurosurg
Psychiatry. 2007 Apr;78(4):342-9.
The treatments for Epilepsy (General)
 |  |  |  |
Popular
Supplements
Acetyl-L Carnitine
Acidophilus
Bladderwrack
Bilberry
Chromium
CLA
Cod Liver Oil
Coenzyme Q
Colostrum
Dandelion
EGCG
Echinacea
Eleuthero
Ellagic Acid
Eve. Primrose Oil
Fish Oil
Flaxseed
Garlic
Ginger
Ginseng
Ginkgo Biloba
Glucosamine
Gotu Kola
Guar Gum
Hyaluronic acid
Lecithin
Lycopene
Milk Thistle
Nattokinase
Passion Flower
Probiotics
Policosanol /
Polycosanol
Pycnogenol
Reishi / Lingzhi
Resveratrol
Rhodiola
Royal Jelly
Stevia
Whey
Xylitol
Supplements
Acetyl-L Carnitine
Acidophilus
Bladderwrack
Bilberry
Chromium
CLA
Cod Liver Oil
Coenzyme Q
Colostrum
Dandelion
EGCG
Echinacea
Eleuthero
Ellagic Acid
Eve. Primrose Oil
Fish Oil
Flaxseed
Garlic
Ginger
Ginseng
Ginkgo Biloba
Glucosamine
Gotu Kola
Guar Gum
Hyaluronic acid
Lecithin
Lycopene
Milk Thistle
Nattokinase
Passion Flower
Probiotics
Policosanol /
Polycosanol
Pycnogenol
Reishi / Lingzhi
Resveratrol
Rhodiola
Royal Jelly
Stevia
Whey
Xylitol
Discuss with your doctor before taking any alternative medicine. This article is for
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
other website or blog.
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
other website or blog.
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