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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...

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.
Seizures are typically classified into two main categories: focal and generalized seizures.
Focal Seizures
Focal seizures originate from specific regions of the brain. These seizures are further sub-classified into two types:

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early...

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

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.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 15, 2026

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

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Published on: May 16, 2019

Poststroke epilepsy: update and future directions.

¹Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, SE41345 Gothenburg, Sweden.

Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders

|September 2, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Poststroke epilepsy (PSE) is a common condition. Recent research clarifies PSE risk factors, potential influences like statins, and effective treatments, advancing this independent epilepsy field.

Keywords:

antiepileptic drugs seizures stroke

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Area of Science:

Neurology
Epileptology
Stroke Research

Background:

Poststroke epilepsy (PSE) is a frequent cause of epilepsy in older adults.
Patients with PSE present unique challenges due to age, comorbidities, and polypharmacy for secondary stroke prevention.
Recent advancements are transforming the understanding and management of PSE.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent developments in poststroke epilepsy (PSE) research.
To update on the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of PSE.
To outline future research directions in this emerging field.

Main Methods:

Review of recent prospective trials and epidemiological data on PSE incidence and risk factors.
Analysis of emerging studies on PSE treatment and prognosis.
Inclusion of insights from new animal models of stroke-related epilepsy.

Main Results:

Key risk factors for PSE include stroke severity, cortical location, younger age at stroke, and hemorrhage.
Statin treatment may influence PSE risk, though further research is needed.
Levetiracetam and lamotrigine show promise as well-tolerated treatments, achieving seizure freedom comparable to other epilepsies.

Conclusions:

Poststroke epilepsy is evolving into a distinct research area.
Understanding epileptogenesis through new models like photothrombotic stroke is advancing.
Current evidence supports specific antiepileptic drug choices and highlights the need for continued research in PSE management and prognosis.