Basic science and epilepsy: experimental epilepsy surgery

Epilepsy surgery, as is employed for the management of intractable seizures, was performed in animals harboring a seizure focus induced by a local application of kainic acid (KA). Amygdalo-hippocampectomy failed to stop spontaneous seizures in the contralateral hippocampus. Callosotomy inhibited seizure propagation to the contralateral sensori-motor cortex. However, epileptic activity ipsilateral to the focus, including subcortical structures, persisted even after the callosotomy. Multiple subpial transection (MST) around the epileptic cortical focus suppressed the seizure activity of the cortex. However, seizure propagations in subcortical structures remained, even after MST. Nefiracetam (a new nootropic agent) was tested in these models, and its promising effect on the intractable extratemporal epilepsy is reported.