[Info] Possible Causes for Epilepsy and Seizures

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

While there are about 40 different kinds of epilepsy, there are probably even more types of seizure disorders -- caused by a number of internal and external events. However most doctors and publications agree upon a number of possible or even probable reasons for these seizures. Here are just a few of them…

Prenatal Injuries
In a fetus, the developing brain is susceptible to prenatal injuries that may occur if the pregnant mother has an infection, doesn't eat properly, smokes or abuses drugs or alcohol.

Childbirth
It can be either an injury to the mother caused by childbirth, a congenital abnormality or perinatal injury.

Head Injury
If the head injury is severe, seizures may not begin until years later. If the injury is mild, the risk is slight.

Degenerative Diseases
A disease like cancer reduces the structure or function of tissues. Therefore tumors, whether malignant or benign, can be associated with seizures. The location of the lesion influences the risk.

Stroke
Heart attacks and other conditions, like strokes, affect the blood supply and oxygen to the brain and can lead to seizures.

Metabolic Disturbances
Disorders that change levels of various metabolic substances in the body sometimes result in seizures. These include: altered levels of sodium, calcium, or magnesium (electrolyte imbalance)…kidney failure and dialysis…low blood sugar or elevated blood sugar…lowered oxygen level in the brain…severe liver disease and elevation of associated toxins.

Poisons
Probably the most common is food poisoning (typically from bacteria or parasites), but also dangerous are various heavy metals (e.g. lead, arsenic, mercury, etc.), gases such as carbon monoxide, alcohol poisoning, numerous household chemicals and many others.

Drugs
It can be an interaction or reaction to a drug or combination of drugs, reaction or withdrawal (especially from certain anti-anxiety or antidepressant drugs) or the chronic use of illicit drugs, particularly cocaine, heroine, amphetamines, and PCP.

Resources:

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/epilepsy.htm
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/epilepsycauses.htm
http://www.essortment.com/all/causesofepilep_rloq.htm
http://adam.about.com/reports/000044_1.htm
http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/epilepsy/EPI_causes.html
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/epilepsy/page2_em.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/epilepsy/DS00342/DSECTION=causes
http://www.neurologychannel.com/epilepsy/causes.shtml

 

[Rae1889]

interesting.
I think the hard part is finding which one specifically caused someones E, if its not obvious. like mine. its most likely head injury, (I have scarring) or my birth control Needle (Depo) as it changes your hormones drastically to mimic pregnancy. and i heard that some women have never had a seizure until they got pregnant

 

[Ruth]

Hi Phylis,

Thank you for bringing this up. Do you know what causes NEAD? Non Epileptic Attack Disorder. It is not a fake seizure, like many people believe. It is a seizure disorder. They are real seizures. Please help me here.

 

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

That's the next article...coming up soon. I've done the research, but there's just so much stuff in misdiangnosed epilepsy that I've got a ton to edit!

 

[Ruth]

Thank you Phylis for all of your hard research. I appreciate it and so do many other's on this forum.

 

[Cint]

Another possible cause I don't see listed here that my well known epileptologist asked me about once is:
Child Abuse, not necessarily head injuries or beatings.

 

[RobinN]

Food Sensitivites

 

[Ruth]

Another possible cause I don't see listed here that my well known epileptologist asked me about once is:
Child Abuse, not necessarily head injuries or beatings.

Hi Cint, emotional or physical abuse at any age can cause it, I believe.

Phylis, have you found any information on this?

 

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

Ah, child abuse...don't I know about THAT!

 

[Ruth]

Hi Phylis,

Have you done research on the correlation between epilepsy and abuse?

 

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

No. Believe it or not, it was not referred to in any of my many references. (Although we know better!)

 

[RobinN]

I have only seen child abuse being referenced to PNES.

 

[Ruth]

I have only seen child abuse being referenced to PNES.

I disagree with that Robin. Child abuse can cause epilepsy, as well.

NESD (Non Epileptic Seizure Disorder) is highly misunderstood. It is a seizure disorder. It has many causes, as well.

I do not like the term PNES. It is saying that non-epileptic seizures are caused only by pschycological means only. There are many types of causes of different types of seizures.

 

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

There are two types of non-epileptic seizures, called psychogenic and physiologic. A psychogenic non-epileptic seizure can be brought on by some sort of emotional stressor or trauma. It's a legitimate seizure and should be treated that way, but it is not caused by a problem in the brain.

 

[Cinnabar]

When my neurologist and I were going over my MRI he pointed out that the volume of my left hippocample volume was 50% less than that of the right. The very first question he asked me me was if had I experienced early on trauma as a child. "Yes" was my answer and then he went on to explain how the abuse was mostly due to the stunting of the left hippocampus. I was diagnosed with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. If you search the web you will find articles backing up that a full fledged, ligitimate form of Epilepsy can be caused by abuse.

Culled from one article:

[edit] Neurological differences in clinical research has shown that traumatic stress, including stress caused by sexual abuse, causes notable changes in brain functioning and development. [68][69]

Various studies have suggested that severe child sexual abuse may have a deleterious effect on brain development. Ito et al. (1998) found "reversed hemispheric asymmetry and greater left hemisphere coherence in abused subjects;"[70] Teicher et al. (1993) found that an increased likelihood of "ictal temporal lobe epilepsy-like symptoms" in abused subjects.

http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Child_sexual_abuse

 

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

Wow, here's some real confusing info from Wikipedia: "The hippocampus is often the focus of epileptic seizures: hippocampal sclerosis is the most commonly visible type of tissue damage in temporal lobe epilepsy. It is not yet clear, though, whether the epilepsy is usually caused by hippocampal abnormalities, or the hippocampus is damaged by cumulative effects of seizures."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocampus#Epilepsy

 

[Cint]

Phylis, another problem which can cause Epilepsy is early on trauma which stunts the left hippocampus. As far as I know this applies to Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Ruth made mention that abuse may be a cause as well.

My epileptologist asked me back in the 90's if there was trauma/abuse in my childhood, since my left hippocampus is damaged. I also have TLE.

 

[Cinnabar]

Cindy, I came upon part of this article post of yours from sometime back. Because of child abuse I also suffer from PTSD and DID (a dissociative disorder) and Bi-Polar Disorder which they failed to mention below. A very good excerpt, though.

Murray Stein and his colleagues also found left hippocampal abnormalities in women who had been sexually abused as children. Their left hippocampal volume was significantly reduced, but the right hippocampus was relatively unaffected. Fifteen of the 21 sexually abused women had PTSD; 15 had a dissociative disorder. They suffered a reduction in the size of the left hippocampus proportionate to the severity of their symptoms.

 

[Cint]

Here's more evidence on abuse and the hippocampus:

Moreover, animal studies by Bruce S. McEwen of the Rockefeller University and Robert M. Sapolsky of Stanford University had previously demonstrated the marked vulnerability of the hippocampus to the ravages of stress. Not only is the hippocampus particularly susceptible because it develops slowly, it also is one of the few brain regions that continues to grow new neurons after birth. Further, it has a higher density of receptors for the stress hormone cortisol than almost any other area of the brain. Exposure to stress hormones can significantly change the shape of the largest neurons in the hippocampus and can even kill them. Stress also suppresses production of the new granule cells (small neurons), which normally continue to develop after birth.

Experiments with rats by Christian Caldji, Michael J. Meaney of McGill University and Paul M. Plotsky of Emory University have shown that early stress reconfigures the molecular organization of these regions.
One major result is the alteration of the protein subunit structure of GABA receptors in the amygdala. These receptors respond to gamma aminobutyric acid, the brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, and GABA attenuates the electrical excitability of neurons. Reduced function of this neurotransmitter produces excessive electrical activity and can trigger seizures. This discovery provides an elegant molecular explanation for our findings of EEG abnormalities and limbic irritability in patients with childhood abuse.

 

[Cinnabar]

A superior find. Wrapped up perfectly and succinctly.

This discovery provides an elegant molecular explanation for our findings of EEG abnormalities and limbic irritability in patients with childhood abuse.