Acquired Epilepsy A Study of 535 Cases

Abstract

Among 1648 epileptics, 535 (32.4%), gave evidence of organic lesionof the brain acquired prior to the 1st seizure. The 1st seizure occurred before the age of 20 in 90%; 24% had a positive family history of epilepsy. Evidence for a cerebral lesion was furnished in the largest proportion, 88%, by the patient''s past history, with the eeg., descr. of seizures, neurologic examination, and pneumoencephalogram. Causes of pathologic change were assigned as follows: prenatal, 13.3%; natal conditions, 30.1%; postnatal trauma, 20.7%; infections, 17.2%; other conditions, 6.4%; and unassigned, 12.3%. Nearly half of the cases, 46%, had the initial seizure within 12 mos. after the 1st etiologic event. In 12% epilepsy did not arise until 10 or more yrs. later. The time interval separating etiology and epilepsy did not arise until 10 or more yrs. later. The time interval separating etiology and epilepsy was shorter for postnatal trauma and infections than for paranatal conditions. The distr. of causes differs radically from that in a previous series of older patients.