Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics,treatment and prognosis of senile epilepsy. Methods The clinical characteristics of 180 elderly patients with epilepsy were retrospectively studied. Results The common causes of senile epilepsy were cerebrovascular disease (8 cases,4.4％),brain tumor(24 cases,13.3％),brain trauma and operation (18 cases,10.0％),brain atrophy (6 cases,3.3 ％ ),The most type of seizures were focal seizures (106 cases,58.9 ％) or focal seizures preceding a generalized (62 cases,34.4％). Electroencephalogram (EEG) usually showed focal slow wave activity or rhythm.Most of seizures were responsive well to single antiepilepsy drug. Conclusions The causes of elderly epilepsy are cerebrovascular disease,brain tumor,brain trauma, brain operation, brain atrophy. Senile epilepsy is more likely to have symptomatic and focal seizures,and can be controlled by anti-epilepsy drugs.