Seizures in infants and children may also be due to birth defects, difficulties during delivery, infections, poisoning, or head injuries. Melatonin, an herbal remedy available over the counter for sleep disorders, has been found to cause seizures in children who have existing neurologic problems. If epilepsy first appears in teenage or adult years, the known major causes tend to be drug or alcohol abuse, withdrawal from certain antianxiety or antidepressant drugs, cancer, disorders of blood vessels, infections, or diabetes. Occupational exposure to certain chemicals can also cause epilepsy. One study found an association between epileptic seizures and herpes simplex virus infections that occur in the central nervous system.
More research is needed before any causative role can be proved.
In the elderly, epilepsy is often due to degenerative diseases of the brain. Small strokes, called transient ischemic attacks, are often difficult to distinguish from mild epileptic seizures, and in fact, a first seizure in adults might be a precursor to stroke. Causes Affecting All Ages Head Injuries. Head injuries can cause seizures, with the risk highest in severe head trauma. In such cases, a first seizure related to the injury can occur even years later.