Epilepsy causes

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Fahimeh Shojaei, M.D., Vishnu Vardhan Serla M.B.B.S. [2]

Overview

Common causes of epilepsy include: Head trauma, Brain tumor, Brain hemorrhage, Encephalitis, Hypoglycemia, Hypoxic encephalopathy, Stroke, Cerebral palsy, Electrolyte disturbances, Epileptic encephalopathy - Lennox-Gastaut type, Febrile Seizures, Huntington's, Intoxication and uremia.

Causes

Life-threatening Causes

Life-threatening causes of epilepsy include:

• Head trauma
• Brain tumor
• Brain hemorrhage
• Encephalitis
• Hypoglycemia
• Hypoxic encephalopathy
• Stroke

Common Causes

Common causes of epilepsy may include:

• Cerebral palsy
• Electrolyte disturbances
• Epileptic encephalopathy - Lennox-Gastaut type
• Febrile Seizures
• Huntington's
• Intoxication
• Uremia

less common causes

Less common causes of epilepsy include

• Vitamin deficiency

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular	Arrythmias, Cardiac failure, Carotid Sinus Syndrome, Hypertensive encephalopathy, Hypotension, Hypovolemia, Orthostatic hypotension, Stokes-Adams Syndrome, Syncope, Valvular heart disease
Chemical / poisoning	Intoxication, Benzene hexachloride, Lead poisoning, Carbonmonoxide poisoning
Dermatologic	Rud Syndrome
Drug Side Effect	4-aminopyridine, acyclovir, alcohol, almotriptan, alprazolam, aminophylline, amitriptyline, amoxapine , amphetamines , amphotericin B, aripiprazole, atomoxetine, atorvastatin, azathioprine, baclofen, benztropine , bromocriptine, bupivacaine, bupropion, buspirone, busulfan, cabergoline, caffeine, captopril, carisoprodol, carvedilol, cefepime, cefixime, cefotetan , ceftazidime, cefuroxime, cephalexin, chlorambucil, chloroquine, chlorpromazine, cilastatin/imipenem, ciprofloxacin, cisplatinum, citalopram , clomiphene , clomipramine, clonazepam, clorazepate, clozapine, cocaine, cyclobenzaprine, cyclobenzaprine , cyclophosphamide, cyclosporin, dantrolene , desipramine, dexmethylphenidate, dextroamphetamine, diazepam , dicyclomine, diphenhydramine, donepezil, doripenem, doxepin, doxorubicin, dronabinol, duloxetine, efavirenz, enfluraneketamine, entacapone, epoetin, escitalopram, estazolam, estrogen, eszopiclone, etoposide, fentanyl, fluoxetine, fluphenazine, flurazepam, fluvastatin, ganciclovir, gemifloxacin, Ginkgo biloba, glatiramer, haloperidol, hydroxyzine, imipenem, indomethacin, interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, Isoniazid (INH), isotretinoin, ivermectin, ketorolac, levofloxacin, lidocaine, lindane, linezolid, lithium, lomefloxacin , lorazepam, loxapine, mefenamic acid, mefloquine, memantine, meperidine, mephobarbital, meropenem, methocarbamol, methotrexate, methylphenidate, metronidazole, mirtazapine, mitoxantrone, modafinil, molindone, montelukast, moxifloxacin, mycophenolate, nalidixic acid, nortriptyline , ofloxacin, olanzapine, ondansetron, oxybutynin, oxycodone, oxymorphone, oxytocin, paroxetine, pentazocine, phenobarbital, phenylpropanolamine, pimozide, pramipexole , prednisone, primidone , procaine , promethazine, propoxyphene , protriptyline, quetiapine , ramelteon, rasagiline, risperidone, rivastigmine, ropinirole, selegiline, sertraline, sibutramine, sildenafil, sodium oxydate, sumatriptan , tacrine, tacrolimus, tadalafil, temazepam, temozolomide, terbutaline, thalidomide, theophylline, thioridazine, thiothixene, ticlopidine, tinidazole, tizanidine, tolcapone, tolterodine, torsemide, tramadol, tranylcypromine , triazolam, trifluoperazine, trihexyphenidyl, Trovafloxacin mesylate, valacyclovir, valsartan, vardenafil, venlafaxine, vincristine, zaleplon, zanamivir, ziconotide, zidovudine, ziprasidone, ziprasidone, zolpidem
Ear Nose Throat	Feigenbaum-Bergeron-Richardson syndrome, Wittwer sydnrome, Onychodystrophy -- deafness, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Type 2, Renier-Gabreels-Jasper syndrome
Endocrine	Hyperglycemia, Hyperthyroidism, Hypoglycemia, Hypoparathyroidism, Hypothyroidism, Mental retardation -- dysmorphism -- hypogonadism -- diabetes complex, X-linked Hypoparathyroidism , DEND syndrome, Feigenbaum-Bergeron-Richardson syndrome
Environmental	Heat stroke
Gastroenterologic	Liver disease -- Retinitis pigmentosa -- polyneuropathy -- epilepsy complex
Genetic	Angelman syndrome, Chromosome 15q triplication syndrome, Chromosome 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome, Ring Chromosome 20, Chromosome 4, trisomy 4p, Cornelia de Lange syndrome 2, Deafness -- congenital onychodystrophy - recessive form, DEND syndrome, Down's Syndrome, Flynn-Aird syndrome, Lipoid proteinosis of Urbach and Wiethe, X-linked Mental retardation syndromic due to JARID1C mutation, X-linked Wittwer type Mental retardation, Mowat-Wilson syndrome, OFD syndrome type IX, Onychodystrophy -- deafness, Renier-Gabreels-Jasper syndrome, Rud Syndrome, X-linked Spasticity -- mental retardation -- epilepsy, Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome, X-linked Hypoparathyroidism , X-linked Lissencephaly - 2
Hematologic	No underlying causes
Iatrogenic	No underlying causes
Infectious Disease	Bacteria: Tetany, Meningitis, Brain abscess, Encephalitis, Neurosyphilis Virus: German measles, HIV, Meningitis, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Type 2, Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Parasites: Toxoplasmosis, Neurocysticercosis, Schistosomiasis, Trypanosomiasis, Cerebral malaria, Paragonimiasis, Ascariasis
Musculoskeletal / Ortho	Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, Fukuyama type muscular dystrophy, Gurrieri-Sammito-Bellussi syndrome, Epilepsy -- microcephaly -- skeletal dysplasia, Onychodystrophy -- deafness
Neurologic	Alzheimer's Disease, Angelman syndrome, Anophthalmia -- hypyothalamo-pituitary insufficiency, Astrocytoma, Autism, Benign familial infantile epilepsy, Brain abscess, Brain hemorrhage, Brain injury, Brain tumor, Cerebral Palsy, Concussion, Cortical dysplasia -- focal epilepsy syndrome, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Diomedi-Bernardi-Placidi syndrome, DEND syndrome, Double cortex syndrome, Encephalitis, Familial Encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies, Epilepsy -- mental deterioration - Finnish type, Epilepsy -- microcephaly -- skeletal dysplasia, Epileptic encephalopathy - Lennox-Gastaut type, Flynn-Aird syndrome, Familial porencephaly, Focal cortical dysplasia, Huntington's Chorea, Hypoxic encephalopathy, Idiopathic generalized, Intracranial hemorrhage and trauma, Kohlschutter-Tonz syndrome, Liver disease -- retinitis pigmentosa -- polyneuropathy -- epilepsy complex, Meningioma, Microcephaly -- mental retardation -- spasticity -- epilepsy complex, Microcephaly -- pontocerebellar hypoplasia -- dyskinesia complex, Microencephaly, Migraine, Movement disorders, Myoclonic progressive familial epilepsy, Myoclonus progressive epilepsy of Unverricht and Lundborg, Meningitis, Neurocysticercosis, X-linked Hamel type Neurodegenerative syndrome, Neurofibromatosis-1, Neurosyphilis, Perisylvian syndrome, Pick's Disease, Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, Pontocerebellar hypoplasia with infantile spinal muscular atrophy, Presenile dementia, Reye's Syndrome, Renier-Gabreels-Jasper syndrome, Rud Syndrome, Space occupying lesion of the brain, Spastic tetraplegic -- cerebral palsy, Spinocerebellar ataxia 13, Stokes-Adams Syndrome, Stroke, Sturge-Weber Syndrome, Subependymal nodular heterotopia, Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), Tuberous Sclerosis, X-linked Spasticity -- mental retardation -- epilepsy, X-linked Lissencephaly - 2, Wittwer sydnrome
Nutritional / Metabolic	2-Hydroxyglutaricaciduria, Acute intermittent porphyria, Carbohydrate deficiency glycoprotein syndrome type II, Gaucher's Disease, Type 2 Hydroxyacyl-coa dehydrogenase deficiency, Pellagra, Phenylketonuria, Pyridoxine deficiency
Obstetric/Gynecologic	Childbirth trauma, Eclampsia, Perinatal hypoxia or trauma
Oncologic	Metastasis, Astrocytoma, Meningioma, Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome
Opthalmologic	Wittwer sydnrome, Anophthalmia -- hypyothalamo-pituitary insufficiency, Liver disease -- retinitis pigmentosa -- polyneuropathy -- epilepsy complex, Rud Syndrome
Overdose / Toxicity	No underlying causes
Psychiatric	Panic attack
Pulmonary	Breath-holding spells (pediatric), Alveolar Hydatid Disease, Hyperventilation, Pediatric Apnea, Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, Hypoxic encephalopathy
Renal / Electrolyte	Alkalosis, Chronic Renal Failure, Hypernatremia, Hypocalcemia, Hypomagnesemia, Hyponatremia, Uremia, Feigenbaum-Bergeron-Richardson syndrome
Rheum / Immune / Allergy	Systemic lupus erythematosus, Polyarteritis nodosa
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	Head trauma
Urologic	No underlying causes
Dental	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	Alcohol withdrawal, Battaglia Neri syndrome, Degenerative disease, Febrile Seizures, Fryns-Aftimos syndrome, McDowall syndrome, Mental retardation -- epilepsy -- bulbous nose, Mental retardation -- epilepsy, Belgian type Mental retardation syndrome, Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome, Night terrors, Photosensitive epilepsy, Schaefer-Stein-Oshman syndrome, Sleep disorders, Sleepwalking, Vasovagal syncope

Causes in Alphabetical Order

2-Hydroxyglutaricaciduria 4-aminopyridine Acute intermittent porphyria acyclovir alcohol Alcohol withdrawal Alkalosis almotriptan alprazolam Alveolar Hydatid Disease Alzheimer's Disease aminophylline amitriptyline amoxapine amphetamines amphotericin B Angelman syndrome Anophthalmia -- hypyothalamo-pituitary insufficiency aripiprazole Arrythmias Ascariasis Astrocytoma atomoxetine atorvastatin Autism azathioprine baclofen Battaglia Neri syndrome Belgian type Mental retardation syndrome, Benign familial infantile epilepsy Benzene hexachloride benztropine Brain abscess Brain hemorrhage Brain injury Brain tumor Breath-holding spells (pediatric) bromocriptine bupivacaine bupropion buspirone busulfan cabergoline caffeine captopril Carbohydrate deficiency glycoprotein syndrome type II Carbonmonoxide poisoning Cardiac failure carisoprodol Carotid Sinus Syndrome carvedilol cefepime cefixime cefotetan ceftazidime cefuroxime cephalexin Cerebral Palsy Childbirth trauma chlorambucil chloroquine chlorpromazine Chromosome 15q triplication syndrome Chromosome 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome Chromosome 20 ring Chromosome 4, trisomy 4p Chronic Renal Failure cilastatin/imipenem ciprofloxacin cisplatinum citalopram clomiphene clomipramine clonazepam clorazepate clozapine cocaine Concussion Cornelia de Lange syndrome 2 Cortical dysplasia -- focal epilepsy syndrome Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease cyclobenzaprine cyclophosphamide cyclosporin

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) dantrolene Deafness -- congenital onychodystrophy - recessive form Degenerative disease DEND syndrome desipramine dexmethylphenidate dextroamphetamine diazepam dicyclomine Diomedi-Bernardi-Placidi syndrome diphenhydramine donepezil doripenem Double cortex syndrome Down's Syndrome doxepin doxorubicin dronabinol duloxetine Eclampsia efavirenz Embolism Encephalitis enfluraneketamine entacapone Epilepsy -- mental deterioration - Finnish type Epilepsy -- microcephaly -- skeletal dysplasia Epileptic encephalopathy - Lennox-Gastaut type epoetin escitalopram estazolam estrogen eszopiclone etoposide Familial Encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies Familial porencephaly Febrile Seizures Feigenbaum-Bergeron-Richardson syndrome fentanyl fluoxetine fluphenazine flurazepam fluvastatin Flynn-Aird syndrome Focal cortical dysplasia Fryns-Aftimos syndrome Fukuyama type muscular dystrophy ganciclovir Gaucher's Disease gemifloxacin German measles Ginkgo biloba glatiramer Gurrieri-Sammito-Bellussi syndrome haloperidol Head trauma Heat stroke Hepatic failure HIV Huntington's Chorea Type 2 Hydroxyacyl-coa dehydrogenase deficiency hydroxyzine Hyperglycemia Hypernatremia Hypertensive encephalopathy Hyperthyroidism Hyperventilation Hypocalcemia Hypoglycemia Hypomagnesemia Hyponatremia Hypoparathyroidism Hypotension Hypothyroidism Hypovolemia Hypoxic encephalopathy Idiopathic generalized imipenem indomethacin Interferon beta-1a Interferon beta-1b Intoxication Intracranial hemorrhage and trauma Isoniazid (INH) isotretinoin

ivermectin Kernicterus ketorolac Kohlschutter-Tonz syndrome Lead poisoning levofloxacin lidocaine lindane linezolid Lipoid proteinosis of Urbach and Wiethe lithium Liver disease -- retinitis pigmentosa -- polyneuropathy -- epilepsy complex lomefloxacin lorazepam loxapine Lupus erythematosus McDowall syndrome mefenamic acid mefloquine memantine Meningioma Meningitis Mental retardation -- dysmorphism -- hypogonadism -- diabetes complex Mental retardation -- epilepsy Mental retardation -- epilepsy -- bulbous nose meperidine mephobarbital meropenem Metastasis methocarbamol methotrexate methylphenidate metronidazole Microcephaly -- mental retardation -- spasticity -- epilepsy complex Microcephaly -- pontocerebellar hypoplasia -- dyskinesia complex Microencephaly Migraine mirtazapine mitoxantrone modafinil molindone montelukast Movement disorders Mowat-Wilson syndrome moxifloxacin mycophenolate Myoclonic progressive familial epilepsy Myoclonus progressive epilepsy of Unverricht and Lundborg nalidixic acid Neurocysticercosis Neurofibromatosis-1 Neurosyphilis Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome Night terrors nortriptyline OFD syndrome type IX ofloxacin olanzapine ondansetron Onychodystrophy -- deafness Orthostatic hypotension oxybutynin oxycodone oxymorphone oxytocin Panic attack Paragonimiasis paroxetine Pediatric apnea Pellagra pentazocine Perinatal hypoxia or trauma Perisylvian syndrome phenobarbital Phenylketonuria phenylpropanolamine Photosensitive epilepsy Pick's Disease pimozide Pitt-Hopkins syndrome Polyarteritis Nodosa Pontocerebellar hypoplasia with infantile spinal muscular atrophy pramipexole prednisone Presenile dementia primidone

procaine promethazine propoxyphene protriptyline Pyridoxine deficiency quetiapine ramelteon Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Type 2 rasagiline Renier-Gabreels-Jasper syndrome Reye's Syndrome risperidone rivastigmine ropinirole Rud Syndrome Schaefer-Stein-Oshman syndrome Schistosomiasis selegiline sertraline sibutramine sildenafil Sleep disorders Sleepwalking sodium oxydate Space occupying lesion of the brain Spastic tetraplegic -- cerebral palsy Spinocerebellar ataxia 13 Stokes-Adams Syndrome Stroke Sturge-Weber Syndrome Subependymal nodular heterotopia sumatriptan Syncope Syphilis tacrine tacrolimus tadalafil temazepam temozolomide terbutaline Tetany thalidomide theophylline thioridazine thiothixene Thrombophlebitis Thrombosis ticlopidine tinidazole tizanidine tolcapone tolterodine torsemide Toxoplasmosis tramadol Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) tranylcypromine triazolam trifluoperazine trihexyphenidyl Trovafloxacin mesylate Trypanosomiasis Tuberous Sclerosis Uremia valacyclovir valsartan Valvular heart disease vardenafil Vasovagal syncope venlafaxine vincristine Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome Wittwer sydnrome X-linked Hypoparathyroidism X-linked Lissencephaly - 2 X-linked Mental retardation syndromic due to JARID1C mutation X-linked Spasticity -- mental retardation -- epilepsy X-linked Wittwer type Mental retardation X-linked, Hamel type Neurodegenerative syndrome zaleplon zanamivir ziconotide zidovudine ziprasidone ziprasidone zolpidem