more common infection is "meningitis", infection of the membranes surrounding the brain. Since this infection does not directly involve the brain it might not appear as a possible cause of epilepsy, but has been shown that meningitis can cause epilepsy, which would give rise to the possibility of developing epilepsy partialis continua. These infections are most likely to result in epilepsy when they occur at an early age. Problems with brain development can also be a factor. The brain undergoes a complicated process during development in which neurons are born and must travel to the surface of the brain. Here they wind up carefully placed in six distinct layers of the cerebral cortex. Throughout the brain, the placement of these neurons is normally quite precise. If this system does not work exactly right, neurons can develop outside their appropriate areas. If this happens then the firing or circuitry of the brain is not right, and an abnormal, epileptic circuit can result. Treatment Identification of the underlying cause plays an important role in treatment. Brain abscesses or tumors can be—at least temporarily or partially, if not fully and permanently—surgically treated and chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is given to the patient. If seizures do continue, various anticonvulsant medication regimens that can be tolerated by the patient can be tested and if need be, administered, either orally, or in emergency conditions such as status epilepticus after tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures, intravenously. If stroke or other similar, transient disorders occur (cerebrovascular accident, or transient ischemic attack, TIA), then neurological imaging of the affected lobes or hemispheres of the brain can be performed (CT, MRI, PET, etc.) and, if not absolutely contraindicated, antithrombolytic therapy might be given if it can be tolerated due to the seizures; if a hemorrhagic stroke has occurred and surgery can be performed to cauterize the vessel or otherwise stop the bleeding, it will be attempted if it can be done safely. References External links Medical emergencies Epilepsy types Seizure types