Causes of epilepsy and risk factors
The causes of epilepsy vary with age.
Crises may occur at some stage in life and eventually cease; other causes epilepsy occur chronically. In any case, it should not be forgotten that the appearance of crisis in a person is not always a clear cause-effect relationship.
1. Heritage
Although there is a popular belief that epilepsy is inherited it is rarely the case. It is demonstrated in this case only certain types of epilepsy, as in the case of tuberous sclerosis, neuro-fibromatosis and lipidosis.
On other occasions what can be inherited is a more or less high seizure threshold is different for each person. Except in the case of an inherited neurological disease like these, the genetic factor of predisposition to seizures is very limited.
2. Inborn errors of development
Hereditary congenital malformations:
They include arteriovenous malformations, errors in neuronal migration (lissencephaly-pachygyria) and phakomatoses.
- Some congenital malformations present at birth are not inherited, such as deformities suffered by children of mothers who have been subjected to toxic chemicals during pregnancy, or have suffered some type of infection, radiation, etc.
Inborn errors of metabolism:
Hyperglycemia, D-gliciricidemia, phenylketonuria, ceroidopolipofuccinosis (infantile, juvenile and adult forms), Lafora disease, child Huntington's disease, Gaucher disease, etc.
3. cerebral anoxia
The insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain can occur during childbirth (prolonged labor, premature detachment of the placenta), or in childhood. A febrile seizure may be responsible for severe cerebral anoxia and epilepsy condition further secondary brain damage. In adulthood cerebro-vascular disease produces a focal lesion and anoxic seizures.
4. traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Brain damage from head trauma can cause secondary epilepsy. Three factors indicate an increased risk of developing a secondary crisis traumatic brain injury:
Duration of post-traumatic amnesia. The longer the highest risk. The post-traumatic amnesia can last between a few minutes to several weeks or months.
The presence of focal neurological signs.
The presence of a lesion in cerebral cortical surface.
If none of these factors, the risk of post-traumatic epilepsy is estimated at 2% of cases. Otherwise, the risk is 40%. Moreover, early onset seizures, after trauma (within the first week), further increases the possibility of secondary epilepsy.
5. Brain Tumors
Primary and secondary (breast and lung cancers are the most common to refer to primary outbreaks brain metastases).
6. Infectious Diseases
Various causes meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscess, bacterial or parasitic, prion diseases.
7. acquired metabolic disorders
Hipoglucemnia, hypocalcemia, hypernatremia, chronic renal failure, etc.
8. Degenerative diseases of the central nervous system
9. Alcohol
Chronic use can lead to alcoholic epilepsy.
10. Toxic
Exposure to toxic elements such as lead, mercury, carbon monoxide, etc.
