160 patients who developed epilepsy at or after age of 25 years were studied retrospectively. There is no type of seizure which is unique in epilepsy of late onset

and the seizure spectrum is similar to that encountered in epilepsy begining earlier in life.34 cases (21.2%) had cerebrova- scular disease;33 cases(20.6%) had space-occupying lesion;21 cases (13.1%) had head injury; 19 cases (11.9%) had cerebral atrophy;9 cases (5.6%) had infection of brain;3 cases (1.9%) had cerebral parasites and 4 cases (2.5%) were miscellenous.No cause could be detected in 37 cases (23.1%).Analysis of clinical data and radiological studies showed that a majority(75.8%) of patients with ′tumor′ who presented with epilepsy had focal neurological deficit.Patients who had epilepsy for less than one year

with frequent attack and simple partial seizures

were like- ly to have a tumor The role of careful clinical examination is stressed.It is questioned that the cerebral arteriosclerosis and cerebral atrophy act as causes of late onset epilepsy.