What are the causes of temporal lobe epilepsy?

Generally, the causes of temporal lobe epilepsy may include genetic factors, external stimuli, brain injuries, meningitis, cerebral infarction, and other factors. Symptomatic management usually involves general treatment and medication. If any physical discomfort occurs, prompt medical attention is recommended. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Genetic Factors

Familial hereditary temporal lobe epilepsy is usually associated with genetic inheritance, chromosomal abnormalities, and metabolic disorders, and has a certain hereditary tendency. It is recommended to undergo regular follow-up examinations at the hospital, including electroencephalogram (EEG), complete blood count, and liver and kidney function tests, to help prevent the occurrence of disease.

2. External Stimuli

Examples include glaring bright lights, sudden flashes, ear-piercing sounds, and irritating odors. These intense external stimuli may cause abnormal discharges of neurons in the brain, thereby triggering epilepsy. Patients should avoid exposure to these intense stimuli in daily life.

3. Brain Injury

Brain injuries such as head impacts or concussions can damage the temporal lobe area, causing bleeding, edema, and inflammatory responses, which may impair normal neuronal function and lead to epileptic seizures. These may be accompanied by symptoms such as headache, nausea, and vomiting. At this time, priority should be given to managing the injury, such as controlling bleeding and reducing intracranial pressure. Additionally, medications such as gabapentin tablets, carbamazepine tablets, and oxcarbazepine tablets should be taken as directed by a physician to alleviate symptoms.

4. Meningitis

Meningitis is mainly caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi infecting the meninges. The resulting inflammation can cause brain tissue damage and neuronal dysfunction, especially in the temporal lobe region, which can trigger epileptic seizures and may be accompanied by symptoms such as fever, headache, and impaired consciousness. It is recommended to take medications such as acyclovir tablets, ornidazole dispersible tablets, and dexamethasone acetate tablets as directed by a physician to alleviate symptoms.

5. Cerebral Infarction

Large-artery atherosclerosis, cardioembolism, and small artery occlusion can lead to cerebral infarction. At this time, cerebral ischemia or hemorrhage can damage brain tissue structure and affect the normal activity of neurons, especially in the temporal lobe region, thus inducing epileptic seizures, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as hemiplegia, slurred speech, and impaired consciousness. It is recommended to use medications such as edaravone injection, sodium citicoline capsules, and piracetam capsules as directed by a physician to alleviate symptoms.

In daily life, it is advisable to ensure sufficient sleep to allow the body and brain adequate rest and recovery, which helps reduce the occurrence of brain diseases.

References

[1] Zhao Xiaoyu. Clinical efficacy analysis of oxcarbazepine combined with levetiracetam in the treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy [J]. Chinese Community Physicians, 2024, 40(35): 17-19.

[2] Zeng Xiaohua, Wu Nengsheng, Xu Jiahua, et al. Application and prognostic correlation analysis of electroencephalogram in adult patients with temporal lobe epilepsy [J]. China Medical Device Information, 2024, 30(23): 85-87.