Hydrocephalus and epilepsy

Congenital hydrocephalus in a child can cause seizures and the formation of symptomatic epilepsy. Increased intracranial pressure, deformation of brain structures and neurovascular formations, as well as changes in the properties of cerebrospinal fluid, in particular the accumulation of specific convulsive factors in it, is the direct cause of the development of such complications.

Convulsive syndrome in hydrocephalus can develop both in the first days after birth and during the first six months to a year. Convulsions can have both widespread (generalised) character and local: in the form of twitching of mimic muscles, blinking, nodding of the head, bending of the torso.

Epilepsy is a severe disease of the brain, which has a chronic progressive course and is manifested by seizures. According to statistics, this disease occurs in 0.5-1% of the population. In the mechanisms of epilepsy development, the following are key:

formation of a group of nerve cells (neurons) that generate strong excitation
Formation of pathological inter-neuronal connections
simultaneous dysfunction of the inhibitory GABAergic system.

Epilepsy that occurs against the background of a disease or pathological condition is called symptomatic or epileptic syndrome. The causes of symptomatic epilepsy may be brain tumours, brain injury, chronic intoxication (alcoholism, liver and kidney disorders), metabolic diseases and CNS malformations. One of the causes of symptomatic epilepsy is hydrocephalus. According to studies, epilepsy syndrome occurs in 5 out of 100 children with hydrocephalus. In most cases, epilepsy developed against the background of structural brain disorders, in particular hydrocephalus, is drug-resistant. Liquor shunt operations performed on such patients contribute to regression or complete cessation of convulsive syndrome and symptomatic epilepsy in children. Indications for surgical intervention are determined individually, based on the clinical picture and the data of clinical and laboratory tests. In diagnosis, such instrumental methods as electroencephalography (EEG), neuroimaging methods (CT and MRI), as well as functional tests to assess the rate of liquor production are used.

Children with seizures and symptomatic epilepsy can be examined and treated in detail at leading specialised clinics in Germany and Israel.

If you have any questions, please contact MedicalExpert specialists.