Epilepsy is a disorder with many possible causes. Anything that interrupts the brain’s normal activity can lead to seizures. Anyone can experience a seizure, but some people have a lower seizure threshold than others; in other words, they’re more likely to experience seizures.
Epilepsy can be inherited, or it can result from a birth defect, birth or head injury, brain tumor, or an infection in the brain. In some cases, epilepsy may develop due to abnormal nerve connections that form as the brain heals after a head injury, stroke, or other problem. The cause of epilepsy can be determined in only 30 percent of cases. In the other 70 percent of cases, the exact cause cannot be determined. When the cause of epilepsy is unknown, it is referred to as idiopathic epilepsy.
Epilepsy can develop at any time of life, but it is more common for it to begin in young children and in people 60 and older.
In young people, new cases of epilepsy often occur because of brain injury before or after birth. Inherited seizure disorders usually happen before the age of 20. Learn about growing up with epilepsy. After age 65, seizures tend to be caused by damage to the brain, such as stroke, brain tumors, and infections. Patients with Alzheimer's disease also are at higher risk. Learn more about epilepsy in older people.
Being diagnosed with epilepsy often requires lifestyle changes . . . especially when seizures aren’t fully controlled. The types of changes necessary, and how they affect a person’s life, will depend on the type of seizures experienced, the level of seizure control they get through treatment, and the individual’s lifestyle. They may also vary based on the age of the person with epilepsy. Learn about living with epilepsy.
Regardless of the age at which epilepsy occurs, getting the right treatment depends on getting an accurate diagnosis and understanding the types of seizures experienced. Only then can your neurologist recommend the most appropriate course of treatment. Learn about epilepsy treatment.
Next: About Seizures