Causes of epilepsy in the elderly
• Epilepsy with older age of onset tends to be due to acquired (e.g., strokes) rather than inherited (genetic) causes.
• Epilepsy that starts in the elderly tends to be partial onset rather than generalized onset (see classification section).
• Cerebrovascular disease (strokes and bleeds of the brain) and brain tumors are the most common causes of epilepsy in this population. There is also a small increase in the risk of epilepsy in individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and other degenerative diseases of the brain, like Parkinson’s Disease, or chronic alcohol abuse. Falls which can cause rupture of the fragile blood vessels of the elderly brain can also leave scar tissue which can serve as a seizure focus.