Seizures and epilepsy: an overview for neuroscientists

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Updated: Apr 11, 2026

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Carl E Stafstrom1, Lionel Carmant2

  • 1Division of Pediatric Neurology, Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287.

Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine
|June 3, 2015
PubMed

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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.
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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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