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The etiologic classification of epilepsy
Author(s) -
Shorvon Simon D.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2011.03041.x
Subject(s) - epilepsy , etiology , epilepsy syndromes , disease , medicine , causation , generalized epilepsy , classification scheme , pediatrics , psychiatry , pathology , political science , computer science , law , information retrieval
Summary The etiology of epilepsy is a major determinant of clinical course and prognosis, yet the current classifications of epilepsy do not list etiology in any detail. In this article, a classification (database) of the etiologies of epilepsy is proposed. In this scheme, the etiology of epilepsy is divided into four categories: idiopathic, symptomatic, provoked, and cryptogenic. These are defined and subcategories are proposed. A commentary addressing the following points is included: problems associated with assigning causation, symptomatic versus idiopathic epilepsy, focal versus generalized epilepsy, acquired epilepsy, acute symptomatic epilepsy, risk factor analysis, provoked epilepsy genetic and developmental epilepsy, and epilepsy as a disease not a symptom.