Partial seizures that cannot be treated with medications can often be treated surgically. Types of epilepsy Most types of seizures occur in different types of epilepsy, and most patients with epilepsy experience more than one seizure type. This is because seizures are only symptoms. There are several types of epilepsy, each with different causes, symptoms and treatments. Idiopathic epilepsy is thought to be caused by genetic factors, as opposed to brain damage.
Symptomatic epilepsy is caused by physical defects in the brain.
Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy Idiopathic generalized epilepsy is a genetic and inherited group of disorders, so there is often, but not always, a family history of epilepsy. Idiopathic generalized epilepsy tends to appear during childhood or adolescence, although it may not be diagnosed until adulthood. People with idiopathic generalized epilepsy have normal intelligence and the results of the neurological examination and brain scan are normal. The types of seizures affecting patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy may include myoclonic, absence and generalized tonic-clonic seizures, with one type predominating. Idiopathic generalized epilepsy is usually treated with medications and is a condition that is commonly outgrown, as in childhood absence epilepsy.