Epilepsy

• One of the most well-known reasons for seizures is epilepsy. Epilepsy is a condition in which a person experiences seizures that are spontaneous and repeated. Epilepsy can either have a demonstrable cause or be idiopathic (lacking apparent cause). The most common causes for epilepsy are conditions that permanently damage the brain such as stroke, degenerative conditions like Alzheimer's, trauma, tumors and infections. Epileptic seizures do tend to run in families with a history of seizures or epilepsy. The principal difference between epilepsy and other forms of seizure is the repetition of the seizures, rather than causation.
  
  

Withdrawal

• There are a variety of substances, both legal and illegal, that can cause seizures during withdrawal. Seizures are common during withdrawal from heavy alcohol use or abuse. Legal drugs or medications such as tricyclic antidepressants, some antibiotics, lithium, barbiturates and narcotics can all cause seizures when a person stops taking them. Illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroine and PCP can create withdrawal related seizures. In most cases, the drug takes the place of a neurotransmitter in the brain. When the drug is withdrawn, the brain struggles to balance out the amount of neurotransmitters it needs with the result of abnormal brain activity.
  
  

Physical Trauma

• Physical trauma to the brain can be responsible for causing seizures. The brain functions by sending biochemical and electrical impulses throughout a number of lobes and cortexes. Damage to almost any part of the brain can disrupt or mangle these signals resulting in several types of seizures. For example, damage to the frontal lobes can disrupt emotional states while damage to the motor cortex can affect voluntary muscle control. Hemorrhages in the brain can cause significant damage and lead to seizures.
  
  

Infections and Metabolic Conditions

• Infections can lead to seizures. As a general rule, infections that cause seizures are confined to those that impact the proper function of the central nervous system or brain. Some infections that can cause seizures are encephalitis, meningitis and HIV.
  
  Some metabolic conditions can also lead to seizures. Liver failure and the associated increased toxin levels in the body can produce seizures. Blood sugar imbalances (hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia) can generate seizures if they are not adjusted. Insufficient oxygenation of the brain (hypoxia) can also lead to seizures.
  
  

Degenerative Disorders

• Seizures are often a component of degenerative disorders. This occurs because most degenerative disorders are created by a breakdown in the ability of signals to be effectively transmitted either in the brain or body. Some of the degenerative disorders that can generate seizures are Alzheimer's disease, cerebral palsy and Tay-Sachs disease.