458 patients who had their first epileptic fit between the ages of 40 and 65 are classified into 5 groups according to the seizure symptomatology: when the symptomatology remains unchanged, the frequency of fits is less than 1 per month in 84% of generalized fits and more than 1 per month in 52% of focal fits. When the symptomatology changes, the frequency of fits is less than 1 per month when the inaugural fit is generalized (23 out of 27) and more than 1 per month when the inaugural fit is focal (15 out of 21). Modifications of the symptomatology correlate positively with a prevalence of tumor aetiology. Primary generalized epilepsies are rare (4.4%). Non-specific secondary generalized epilepsies (including vascular, metabolic or toxic encephalopathies) account for 24.4% of the cases. Focal epilepsies are the most common form (40.7%), elementary fits being four times more frequent than complex fits.