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Last Updated on October 17, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta
The World Health Organization states that there are various mechanisms through which epilepsy can occur and the exact etiology is still unknown in about 50% of the global cases.
There can be different causes of epilepsy. An imbalance of neurotransmitters or nerve-signalling chemicals, congenital abnormalities, trauma or head injury, genetic conditions, prenatal or perinatal brain damage, stroke, brain tumour, brain infection in diseases such as meningitis, encephalitis or neurocysticercosis, etc., are some of the causes.
Certain risk factors for epilepsy include cerebral palsy, brain tumours, Alzheimer’s disease, Autism spectrum disorder, and use of illegal drugs such as cocaine, etc.
It is important to note that every condition mentioned above does not necessarily lead to epilepsy. Epilepsy is known to occur more often in these conditions than in their absence.
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