Epilepsy - Causes

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Highlights	Diagnosis	Surgery
Introduction	Treatment	Lifestyle Changes
Causes	Long-Term Treatment	Resources
Outlook and Effects	Medications	References

The organs of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) are covered by three connective tissue layers called the meninges. They consist of the pia mater (closest to the CNS structures), the arachnoid, and the dura mater (farthest from the CNS). The meninges help support blood vessels and contain cerebrospinal fluid. The structures are involved in meningitis, an inflammation of the meninges, which, if severe, may become encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain.

Hypoglycemia. Seizures can be caused by low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), a complication of diabetes in both children and adults.

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Brain Tumors. Both cancerous and noncancerous brain tumors can cause seizures in all patients.

Cavernous Angiomas. Cavernous angiomas are blood vessels that grow abnormally and, like a tumor, can put pressure on nerve tissue.

Pseudoepilepsy. Between 20 - 45% of cases of untreatable seizures have a psychologic rather than physical origin. In this form of epilepsy, known as pseudoepilepsy or psychogenic epilepsy, the patient has no conscious intent of forcing a seizure and does not show unusual emotional behavior or signs of hysteria. It is very difficult to treat and can be very disabling. Pseudoepilepsy can usually be distinguished from true epilepsy using an electroencephalogram (EEG), which measures brain waves. The cause of pseudoepilepsy is unknown.

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Review Date: 11/15/2006
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).