Chemotherapy medication, for example, fludarabine can cause a

permanent severe global encephalopathy. Ifosfamide can cause

a severe encephalopathy (but it can be reversible with stop using the drug and the use of methylene blue). Bevacizumab and other anti–vascular endothelial growth factor medication can cause posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

There are many types of encephalopathy. Some examples include:

- Mitochondrial encephalopathy: Metabolic disorder caused by dysfunction of mitochondrial DNA. Can affect many body systems, particularly the brain and nervous system.

- Glycine encephalopathy: A genetic metabolic disorder involving excess production of glycine.

- Hepatic encephalopathy: Arising from advanced cirrhosis of the liver.

- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy: Permanent or transitory encephalopathy arising from severely reduced oxygen delivery to the brain.

- Static encephalopathy: Unchanging, or permanent, brain damage.

- Uremic encephalopathy: Arising from high levels of toxins normally cleared by the kidneys—rare where dialysis is readily available.

- Wernicke's encephalopathy: Arising from thiamine (B) deficiency, usually in the setting of alcoholism.

- Hashimoto's encephalopathy: Arising from an auto-immune disorder.

- Hypertensive encephalopathy: Arising from acutely increased blood pressure.

- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy: Progressive degenerative disease associated with multiple concussions and other forms of brain injury.

- Lyme encephalopathy: Arising from Lyme disease bacteria, including "Borrelia burgdorferi".

- Toxic encephalopathy: A form of encephalopathy caused by chemicals, often resulting in permanent brain damage.

- Toxic-Metabolic encephalopathy: A catch-all for brain dysfunction caused by infection, organ failure, or intoxication.

- Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy: A collection of diseases all caused by prions, and characterized by "spongy" brain tissue (riddled with holes), impaired locomotion or coordination, and a 100% mortality rate. Includes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease), scrapie, and kuru among others.

- Neonatal encephalopathy (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy): An obstetric form, often occurring due to lack of oxygen in bloodflow to brain-tissue of the fetus during labour or delivery.

- Salmonella encephalopathy: A form of encephalopathy caused by food poisoning (especially out of peanuts and rotten meat) often resulting in permanent brain damage and nervous system disorders.

- Encephalomyopathy: A combination of encephalopathy and myopathy. Causes may include mitochondrial disease (particularly MELAS) or chronic hypophosphatemia, as may occur in cystinosis.

- Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD; transmissible spongiform encephalopathy).

- HIV encephalopathy (encephalopathy associated with HIV infection and AIDS, characterized by atrophy and ill-defined white matter hyperintensity).

- Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (this type can occur in the setting of apparent sepsis, trauma, severe burns, or trauma, even without clear identification of an infection).

- Epileptic encephalopathies:

- Early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (acquired or congenital abnormal cortical development).

- Early myoclonic epileptic encephalopathy (possibly due to metabolic disorders).

Seizures in cats are caused by various onsets. Cats can have reactive, primary (idiopathic) or secondary seizures. Idiopathic seizures are not as common in cats as in dogs however a recent study conducted showed that of 91 feline seizures, 25% were suspected to have idiopathic epilepsy. In the same group of 91 cats, 50% were secondary seizures and 20% reactive.

Genetics may play a role in the risk that a person will develop PTE; people with the ApoE-ε4 allele may be at higher risk for PTE. The haptoglobin Hp2-2 allele may be another genetic risk factor, possibly because it binds hemoglobin poorly and thus allows more iron to escape and damage tissues. However, most studies have found that having family members with epilepsy does not significantly increase the risk of PTS, suggesting that genetics are not a strong risk factor.

The more severe the brain trauma is, the more likely a person is to suffer late PTE. Evidence suggests that mild head injuries do not confer an increased risk of developing PTE, while more severe types do. In simple mild TBI, the risk for PTE is about 1.5 times that of the uninjured population. By some estimates, as many as half of sufferers of severe brain trauma experience PTE; other estimates place the risk at 5% for all TBI patients and 15–20% for severe TBI. One study found that the 30-year risk of developing PTE was 2.1% for mild TBI, 4.2% for moderate, and 16.7% for severe injuries, as shown in the chart at right.

Idiopathic epilepsy does not have a classification due to the fact there are no known causes of these seizures, however both reactive and symptomatic secondary epilepsy can be placed into classifications.

Wernicke's encephalopathy has classically been thought of as a disease solely of alcoholics, but it is also found in the chronically undernourished, and in recent years had been discovered post bariatric surgery. Without being exhaustive, the documented causes of Wernicke's encephalopathy have included:

- pancreatitis, liver dysfunction, chronic diarrhea, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, uremia, thyrotoxicosis

- vomiting, hyperemesis gravidarum, malabsorption, gastrointestinal surgery or diseases

- incomplete parenteral nutrition, starvation/fasting

- chemotherapy, renal dialysis, diuretic therapy, stem cell/marrow transplantation

- cancer, AIDS, Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, febrile infections

- this disease may even occur in some people with normal, or even high blood thiamine levels, are people with deficiencies in intracellular transport of this vitamin. Selected genetic mutations, including presence of the X-linked transketolase-like 1 gene, SLC19A2 thiamine transporter protein mutations, and the aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 gene, which may predispose to alcoholism. The APOE epsilon-4 allele, involved in Alzheimer's disease, may increase the chance of developing neurological symptoms.

The mortality rate ranges from 3–7% in a mean follow up period of 8.5 to 9.7 years. Death is often related to accidents.

There are no conclusive statistical studies, all figures are based on partial studies, and because of the ethical problems in conducting controlled trials are unlikely to be obtained in the future.

Wernicke´s lesions were observed in 0.8 to 2.8% of the general population autopsies, and 12.5% of alcoholics. This figure increases to 35% of alcoholics if including cerebellar damage due to lack of thiamine.

Most autopsy cases were from alcoholics. Autopsy series were performed in hospitals on the material available which is unlikely to be representative of the entire population. Considering the slight affectations, previous to the generation of observable lesions at necropsy, the percentage should be higher. There is evidence to indicate that Wernicke's encephalopathy is underdiagnosed. For example, in one 1986 study, 80% of cases were diagnosed postmortem. Is estimated that only 5–14% of patients with WE are diagnosed in life.

In a series of autopsy studies held in Recife, Brazil, it was found that only 7 out of 36 had had alcoholic habits, and only a small minority had malnutrition. In a reviewed of 53 published case reports from 2001 to 2011, the relationship with alcohol was also about 20% (10 out of 53 cases).

In this statistic fetal and infant damage with upcoming intellectual limitations should be included. WE is more likely to occur in males than females. Among the minority who are diagnosed, mortality can reach 17%. The main factors triggering death are thought to be infections and liver dysfunctions.

Panayiotopoulos syndrome probably affects 13% of children aged 3 to 6 years who have had 1 or more afebrile seizures and 6% of such children in the 1- to 15-year age group. All races and both sexes are affected.

Panayiotopoulos syndrome is remarkably benign in terms of its evolution. The risk of developing epilepsy in adult life is probably no more than of the general population. Most patients have one or 2-5 seizures. Only a third of patients may have more than 5 seizures, and these may be frequent, but outcome is again favorable. However, one fifth of patients may develop other types of infrequent, usually rolandic seizures during childhood and early teens. These are also age-related and remit before the age of 16 years. Atypical evolutions with absences and drop attacks are exceptional. Children with pre-existing neurobehavioral disorders tend to be pharmacoresistant and have frequent seizures though these also remit with age.

Formal neuropsychological assessment of children with Panayiotopoulos syndrome showed that these children have normal IQ and they are not on any significant risk of developing cognitive and behavioural aberrations, which when they occur they are usually mild and reversible. Prognosis of cognitive function is good even for patients with atypical evolutions.

However, though Panayiotopoulos syndrome is benign in terms of its evolution, autonomic seizures are potentially life-threatening in the rare context of cardiorespiratory arrest.

The cause of FIRES is not known. It does not happen twice in the same family, but the medical community does not know if it is genetic. It happens in boys more than girls. After the initial status, life expectancy is not affected directly. Issues such as overdose of medications or infections at a food tube site are examples of things that would be secondary to the status.

Consistent risk factors include:

- Severity of seizures, increased refractoriness of epilepsy and presence of generalized tonic-clonic seizures: the most consistent risk factor is an increased frequency of tonic–clonic seizures.

- Poor compliance. Lack of therapeutic levels of anti-epileptic drugs, non-adherence to treatment regimens, and frequent changes in regimens are risk factors for sudden death.

- Young age, and early age of seizures onset.

- Male gender

- Poly-therapy of epilepsy. It remains unclear whether this is an independent risk factor or a surrogate marker for severity of epilepsy.

- Being asleep during a seizure is likely to favour SUDEP occurrence.

LGS is seen in approximately 4% of children with epilepsy, and is more common in males than in females. Usual onset is between the ages of three and five. Children can have no neurological problems prior diagnosis, or have other forms of epilepsy. West syndrome is diagnosed in 20% of patients before it evolves into LGS at about 2 years old.

It is still unknown which bio-chemical mechanisms lead to the occurrence of West syndrome. It is conjectured that it is a malfunction of neurotransmitter function, or more precisely, a malfunction in the regulation of the GABA transmission process. Another possibility being researched is a hyper-production of the Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). It is possible that more than one factor is involved. Both hypotheses are supported by the effect of certain medications used to treat West syndrome.

Cases of epilepsy have been historically divided into three different groups: symptomatic, cryptogenic, and unknown. The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) recommended in 2011 to abandon these terms for reasons of clarity and instead try to place individual cases into one of the following 3 groups: genetic, structural/metabolic, and unknown. The new terms are more immediately clear in their meaning, except that the structural and metabolic group includes cases that have a genetic component that does not always directly lead to the condition. Only the genetic grouping has a known direct genetic cause. "Unknown" cases may be of "unknown" genetic, structural, metabolic, or other unknown cause.

The old terminology was defined by the ILAE as follows:

- symptomatic: the epilepsy is the consequence of a known or suspected disorder of the central nervous system.

- cryptogenic: this refers to a disorder whose cause is hidden or occult. Cryptogenic epilepsies are presumed to be symptomatic.

- idiopathic: there is no underlying cause other than a possible hereditary predisposition.

The remainder of this section will refer to the older terminology.

Early myoclonic encephalopathy (EME) is an epilepsy syndrome where myoclonic seizures develop in the neonatal period. After several months, the seizure pattern may develop to infantile spasms (West syndrome). Various genetic and metabolic disorders are responsible. The seizures are resistant to treatment. The neurology is very abnormal and patients often do not live beyond one year.

The number cases of PRES that occur each year is not known. It may be somewhat more common in females.

Both medication and drug overdoses can result in seizures, as may certain medication and drug withdrawal. Common drugs involved include: antidepressants, antipsychotics, cocaine, insulin, and the local anaesthetic lidocaine. Difficulties with withdrawal seizures commonly occurs after prolonged alcohol or sedative use, a condition known as delirium tremens.

It is not possible to make a generalised prognosis for development due to the variability of causes, as mentioned above, the differing types of symptoms and cause. Each case must be considered individually.

The prognosis for children with idiopathic West syndrome are mostly more positive than for those with the cryptogenic or symptomatic forms. Idiopathic cases are less likely to show signs of developmental problems before the attacks begin, the attacks can often be treated more easily and effectively and there is a lower relapse rate. Children with this form of the syndrome are less likely to go on to develop other forms of epilepsy; around two in every five children develop at the same rate as healthy children.

In other cases, however, treatment of West syndrome is relatively difficult and the results of therapy often dissatisfying; for children with symptomatic and cryptogenic West syndrome, the prognosis is generally not positive, especially when they prove resistant to therapy.

Statistically, 5 out of every 100 children with West syndrome do not survive beyond five years of age, in some cases due to the cause of the syndrome, in others for reasons related to their medication. Only less than half of all children can become entirely free from attacks with the help of medication. Statistics show that treatment produces a satisfactory result in around three out of ten cases, with only one in every 25 children's cognitive and motoric development developing more or less normally.

A large proportion (up to 90%) of children suffer severe physical and cognitive impairments, even when treatment for the attacks is successful. This is not usually because of the epileptic fits, but rather because of the causes behind them (cerebral anomalies or their location or degree of severity). Severe, frequent attacks can (further) damage the brain.

Permanent damage often associated with West syndrome in the literature include cognitive disabilities, learning difficulties and behavioural problems, cerebral palsy (up to 5 out of 10 children), psychological disorders and often autism (in around 3 out of 10 children). Once more, the cause of each individual case of West syndrome must be considered when debating cause and effect.

As many as 6 out of 10 children with West syndrome suffer from epilepsy later in life. Sometimes West syndrome turns into a focal or other generalised epilepsy. Around half of all children develop Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

No single cause of OS has been identified. In most cases, there is severe atrophy of both hemispheres of the brain. Less often, the root of the disorder is an underlying metabolic syndrome. Although it was initially published that no genetic connection had been established, several genes have since associated with Ohtahara syndrome. It can be associated with mutations in "ARX", "CDKL5", "SLC25A22", "STXBP1", "SPTAN1", "KCNQ2", "ARHGEF9", "PCDH19", "PNKP", "SCN2A", "PLCB1", "SCN8A", and likely others.

Treatment outlook is poor. Anticonvulsant drugs and glucocorticoid steroids may be used to try to control the seizures, but their effectiveness is limited. Most therapies are related to symptoms and day-to-day living.

Following a first seizure, the risk of more seizures in the next two years is 40%–50%. The greatest predictors of more seizures are problems either on the electroencephalogram or on imaging of the brain. In adults, after 6 months of being seizure-free after a first seizure, the risk of a subsequent seizure in the next year is less than 20% regardless of treatment. Up to 7% of seizures that present to the emergency department (ER) are in status epilepticus. In those with a status epilepticus, mortality is between 10% and 40%. Those who have a seizure that is provoked (occurring close in time to an acute brain event or toxic exposure) have a low risk of re-occurrence, but have a higher risk of death compared to those with epilepsy.

Many cases resolve within 1–2 weeks of controlling blood pressure and eliminating the inciting factor. However some cases may persist with permanent neurologic impairment in the form of visual changes and seizures among others. Though uncommon, death may occur with progressive swelling of the brain (cerebral edema), compression of the brainstem, increased intracranial pressure, or a bleed in the brain (intracerebral hemorrhage). PRES may recur in about 5-10% of cases; this occurs more commonly in cases precipitated by hypertension as opposed to other factors (medications, etc.).

Ohtahara syndrome (OS), also known as early infantile epileptic encephalopathy with burst-suppression (EIEE), is a progressive epileptic encephalopathy. The syndrome is outwardly characterized by tonic spasms and partial seizures, and receives its more elaborate name from the pattern of burst activity on an electroencephalogram (EEG). It is an extremely debilitating progressive neurological disorder, involving intractable seizures and severe mental retardation. No single cause has been identified, although in many cases structural brain damage is present.

Generalized epilepsy, also known as primary generalized epilepsy or idiopathic epilepsy, is a form of epilepsy characterised by generalised seizures with no apparent cause. Generalized seizures, as opposed to focal seizures, are a type of seizure that impairs consciousness and distorts the electrical activity of the whole or a larger portion of the brain (which can be seen, for example, on electroencephalography, EEG).

Generalized epilepsy is "primary" because the epilepsy is the originally diagnosed condition itself, as opposed to "secondary" epilepsy, which occurs as a symptom of a diagnosed condition.

Overall, the relative incidence of neonatal encephalopathy is estimated to be between 2 and 9 per 1000 term births. 40% to 60% of affected infants die by 2 years old or have severe disabilities. In 2013 it was estimated to have resulted in 644,000 deaths down from 874,000 deaths in 1990.