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Risk factors

A risk factor is something that makes a person more likely to develop seizures and epilepsy. Sometimes a risk factor can causescarring of the brain or lead to areas
ofthe brain not developing or working right.Risk factors include:

Seizures occurring within days after head


injury ("early posttraumatic seizures")

Family history of epilepsy or fever-related


seizures

Abnormal blood vessels in the brain

Alzheimer's disease (late in the illness)

Serious brain injury or lack of oxygen to the brain

Autism spectrum disorder

Brain tumors

Fever-related (febrile)
unusually long

Long episodes of seizures or


seizures called status epilepticus

Use of illegal drugs such as cocaine

Mild head injuries, such as a concussion with


just a very brief loss of consciousness, do
not cause epilepsy. Yet the effects of

Babies who are born small for their age


Babies who have seizures in the first month of life
Babies who are born with abnormal areas in the brain
Bleeding into the brain

Infections of the brain: abscess, meningitis, or


encephalitis
Stroke resulting from blockage of arteries
Cerebral palsy
Conditions with intellectual and developmental
disabilities

seizures

that

are

repeated

Pathophysiology
The paroxysmal depolarization shift (PDS) is the pathophysiological
cellular phenomenon that underlies all types of epileptic seizures. PDSs
are cellular events in which rapidly repetitive action potentials are not
followed by the usual refractory period, thereby generating a prolonged
membrane depolarization
When a PDS occurs as an abnormally prolonged run of action potentials
during sustained membrane depolarization in a single neuron, it will
increased glutamate (Na+) concentration which is associated with influx
of cations initially, and it followed by increased GABA concentration with
efflux of potassium (K+). Paroxysmal depolarization shifts (PDS) by
altering the usual balance of Na+ and K+ ion conductance across
neuronal membranes. Increased Na+ conductance creates a situation in
which a single action potential initiates sustained depolarization as a PDS.
Decreased K+ conductance also can predispose to PDS.

Pathogenesis of partial seizures caused by abnormal electrical discharges from certain


areas of the cortex. In experimental it has been confirmed that the onset of focal
epilepsy is caused by the "kindling" that is a result of the subconvulsive stimulus in
several brain structures and caused the structure becomes electroencephalography
seizure which means the neurons that had to be normal become epileptic. If the
stimulus continuously repeated, it can cause seizures.
In partial seizure which become secondary generalized seizures, focal seizures arising
from the electric spark which comes from an area of the cortex and then spread
throughout the cerebral cortex that produce tonic-clonic seizure.
The phenomenon that occurs in complex partial seizures depends on the location of
epileptogenic lesions, the symptoms are clearly visible when the lesion is impaired
presentral gyrus. If the disorders occur in the epileptogenic lesion of the presentral
gyrus the symptoms may be a focal motor seizures which occur on the face and the
contralateral limb of the lesions ,and sensory focal seizures in the form of unpleasant
feelings, mild pain samapai burning sensation on the face and contralateral extremity of
the lesion.

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