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Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...

Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists

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Glutamate is a fundamental neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, playing a vital role in neuronal communication and various cognitive processes. Glutamate stands as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its presence is crucial for the communication between neurons, underpinning essential processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity. These functions are vital for higher-order cognitive processes, including learning and memory. The...

Epilepsy ll: Types

Epilepsy ll: Types

Recurrent seizures, stemming from abnormal electrical activity in the brain, are the defining characteristic of epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition. Because seizure features vary greatly, epilepsy is classified using two systems: by seizure type and by epilepsy syndromes. These classifications enable clinicians to describe seizure patterns and select suitable treatment strategies.I. Classification by Seizure Type1. Focal EpilepsyFocal epilepsy begins in one hemisphere of the brain.

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

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Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
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γ-aminobutyric acid or GABA, plays a pivotal role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA pathway potentiators, also known as GABAergic drugs, are a class of pharmaceutical agents designed to enhance the functioning of the GABAergic system. These medications primarily treat epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
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Seizures: Classification

Seizures: Classification

Epilepsy is primarily characterized by unpredictable seizures, either provoked by an identifiable factor, such as injury or illness, or unprovoked, occurring spontaneously without apparent cause.
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Focal Seizures
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Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Generation and On-Demand Initiation of Acute Ictal Activity in Rodent and Human Tissue

Generation and On-Demand Initiation of Acute Ictal Activity in Rodent and Human Tissue

Published on: January 19, 2019

Astrocytes and epilepsy.

Nihal C de Lanerolle¹, Tih-Shih Lee, Dennis D Spencer

¹Department of Neurosurgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA. Nihal.delanerolle@yale.edu

Neurotherapeutics : the Journal of the American Society for Experimental Neurotherapeutics

|October 1, 2010

Summary

Astrocytes in epilepsy foci are not uniform. Specific astrocyte subtypes and altered functions contribute to hyperexcitability and epileptogenesis in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Epileptology
Cell Biology

Background:

Astrocytes are key cells in the brain, historically implicated in seizure causation.
Recent research highlights their complex and varied roles within seizure foci.
Temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis offers a model to study astrocyte function in epilepsy.

Purpose of the Study:

To review and integrate current knowledge on astrocyte roles in hippocampal seizure foci.
To explore the heterogeneity of astrocytes within seizure foci.
To understand how astrocyte dysfunction contributes to epileptogenesis.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on astrocytes in epilepsy.
Analysis of astrocyte characteristics in sclerotic versus non-sclerotic hippocampi.

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Recording and Modulation of Epileptiform Activity in Rodent Brain Slices Coupled to Microelectrode Arrays

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Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice

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Examination of astrocyte membrane physiology, channel expression, and enzyme activity.

Investigation of astrocyte-vascular interactions and immune/inflammatory molecule expression.

Main Results:

Astrocytes in seizure foci are heterogeneous, including reactive astrocytes and neuron-glia-2-like cells.
Astrocytes in sclerotic hippocampi exhibit altered membrane physiology (e.g., increased Na+ channels, reduced K+ channels) and can generate action potentials.
Changes in glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase activity, alongside altered astrocyte-vascular interfaces and immune molecule expression, are observed.

Conclusions:

Heterogeneous astrocytes, particularly neuron-glia-2-like cells and reactive astrocytes, may promote hyperexcitability by altering glutamate and potassium levels.
Altered astrocyte-vascular interactions are critical in epileptogenesis.
Understanding astrocyte heterogeneity and function is crucial for developing novel epilepsy therapies.