What causes seizures?
-
Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:If the electrical system of your brain goes haywire, your brain may transmit abnormal signals to your body -- leading to seizures. While there are many types of seizures, the type you have may depend on how much -- and which part -- of your brain is affected by this power surge. Seizures are also classified as "provoked," meaning triggered by a physical event such as a fever, or "unprovoked," meaning caused by a neurologic (nervous system) problem. This information could help your doctor determine what kind of treatment you need. However, the cause of most cases of seizure is unknown.If the electrical system of your brain goes haywire, your brain may transmit abnormal signals to your body -- leading to seizures. While there are many types of seizures, the type you have may depend on how much -- and which part -- of your... More -
Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:A child may experience one or many seizures. While the exact cause of the seizure may not be known, the more common seizures are caused by the following:
In newborns and infants:
• birth trauma
• congenital (present at birth) problems
• fever /infection
• metabolic or chemical imbalances in the body
In children, adolescents, and young adults:
• alcohol or drugs
• trauma to the head or brain injury
• infection
• congenital conditions
• genetic factors
• unknown reasons
Other possible causes of seizures may include:
• brain tumor
• neurological problems
• drug withdrawal
• medicationsA child may experience one or many seizures. While the exact cause of the seizure may not be known, the more common seizures are caused by the following:In newborns and infants: • birth trauma ... More -
Discovery Health answered:Imagine for a moment that you're behind the wheel, driving up on a four-way stop. Because you have places to be and people to see, you might be a little apt to disregard the rules of the road, which specifies the order of advancing through an intersection. You know that barreling through the stop sign would likely cause an accident with those other drivers who had the right away. Cars would pile up, horns would blare, and your feelings would rapidly change as you start to consider your soon-to-rise insurance premiums and concern for the people in the other vehicles.
Well the brain operates in same way. Most of the time, neurons release ordered electrical pulses about the brain, delivering messages to the rest of the nervous system (spinal cord and nerves). But when all those neurons start triggering at once, the brain experiences a sort of traffic jam. The rapid and wild firing overwhelms the rest of the brain, which results in a seizure.
The majority of the time, the neurons in your brain fire at a rate of about 80 times per second. During a seizure, that rate soars to 500 times per second.
So what causes these electrical storms, these traffic jams? We know what a seizure looks like - the convulsions, twitching, and drooling. But not all seizures are the same.
Focal seizures (sometimes called partial seizures) occur in just one area of the brain and are experienced by about 60 percent of people with epilepsy.
Generalized seizures occur in both sides of the brain.
Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulImagine for a moment that you're behind the wheel, driving up on a four-way stop. Because you have places to be and people to see, you might be a little apt to disregard the rules of the road, which specifies the order of advancing through an... More -
American Red Cross answered:When the normal functions of the brain are disrupted by injury, disease, fever, infection, metabolic disturbances, or conditions causing a decreased oxygen level, a seizure may occur.
When the normal functions of the brain are disrupted by injury, disease, fever, infection, metabolic disturbances, or conditions causing a decreased oxygen level, a seizure may occur. More -
Dr. Angela Mark of NorthShore University HealthSystem answered:From a simple pathophysiologic perspective, seizures are caused by abnormal, synchronous, rhythmic electrical activity in the brain. Some seizures are called provoked seizures where one can identify a cause. Some of these causes include:
- metabolic abnormalities like low glucose, sodium, calcium or oxygen levels
- structural lesions such as brain tumors, abscess, vascular malformations or cavernomas, hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, head trauma
- drug intoxication (cocaine, amphetamines, PCP) or withdrawal (barbiturates, benzodiazepines, alcohol)
- infection (meningitis, encephalitis)
- fever as an infant
Then there are idiopathic epilepsies which we believe are genetic in nature like juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, absence epilepsy or benign epilepsy with centrotemporal sharps (formerly benign Rolandic epilepsy).
In more than 50% of seizures a cause cannot be found which is thus called cryptogenic.
From a simple pathophysiologic perspective, seizures are caused by abnormal, synchronous, rhythmic electrical activity in the brain. Some seizures are called provoked seizures where one can identify a cause. Some of these causes... More -
National Athletic Trainers’ Association answered:In some cases, seizures are caused by a medical condition known as epilepsy, but if a person suffers a seizure, it does not necessarily mean that he or she has epilepsy. Seizures can also occur due to a rapid rise or fall in temperature, a tumor, a traumatic injury, an electrolyte imbalance (dehydration), or withdrawal from a medication. Seizures can happen in any sport as a result of injury and dehydration.
(This answer provided for NATA by the Georgia College & State University Athletic Training Education Program.)In some cases, seizures are caused by a medical condition known as epilepsy, but if a person suffers a seizure, it does not necessarily mean that he or she has epilepsy. Seizures can also occur due to a rapid rise or fall in temperature, a... More -
Scripps Health answered:Determining the root causes of seizures is critically important, as they can have other causes besides epilepsy. Many people have one or more seizures in the course of their lifetime. These can be caused by head trauma, a brain infection, exposure to chemicals or other causes. There are also conditions that can mimic seizures, such as migraines or fainting.
Determining the root causes of seizures is critically important, as they can have other causes besides epilepsy. Many people have one or more seizures in the course of their lifetime. These can be caused by head trauma, a brain infection,... More
