Epilepsy Syndromes

These features may include:

• Type or types of seizures
• Age at which the seizures begin
• Causes of the seizures
• Whether the seizures are inherited
• The part of the brain involved
• Factors that provoke the seizures
• How severe and how frequent the seizures are
• A pattern of seizures by time of day
• Certain patterns on the EEG (electroencephalogram), during and between seizures
• Brain imaging findings, for example, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or CT (computed tomography) scan
• Genetic information
• Other disorders in addition to seizures
• The prospects for recovery or worsening

Not every syndrome will be defined by all these features, but most syndromes will be defined by a number of them. Classifying a person's epilepsy as belonging to a certain syndrome often provides information on what medications or other treatments will be most helpful. It also may help the doctor predict whether the seizures will go into remission (lessen or disappear).