title: The etiologic classification of epilepsy.
abstract: 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.
authors: UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, Queen Square, London, UK. s.shorvon@ion.ucl.ac.uk
authors: Simon D
authors: SD
authors: Shorvon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000145:classification* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors