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Related Concept Videos

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

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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.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
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Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

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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...
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Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers01:17

Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers

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Calcium channel blockers, a class of antiepileptic drugs, regulate the flow of calcium ions within neurons.
Calcium channel blockers exert their antiepileptic effects by targeting T-type calcium channels, which are integral to transmitting nerve signals in the central nervous system. These channels allow the passage of calcium ions, which are vital for neuronal communication. By inhibiting T-type calcium channels, calcium channel blockers effectively reduce the release of neurotransmitters and...
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Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein01:20

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.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
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Electroconvulsive Therapy01:30

Electroconvulsive Therapy

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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...
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Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators01:18

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

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

Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid GABA into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
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Decrease in mortality of adult epilepsy patients since 1980: lessons learned from a hospital-based cohort.

C A Granbichler1,2, W Oberaigner3,4, G Kuchukhidze1,2

  • 1Department of Neurology, Christian Doppler Klinik, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.

European Journal of Neurology
|February 28, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Mortality in epilepsy patients has decreased over the last three decades. Advances in diagnosis and treatment, including new anti-epileptic drugs, likely contributed to this improved survival for epilepsy patients.

Keywords:
epidemiologyepilepsymortalitystandardized mortality ratiotime trend

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Author Spotlight: Obtaining High-Quality CSF and Blood Samples for Epilepsy Biomarker Discovery
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Long-term Continuous EEG Monitoring in Small Rodent Models of Human Disease Using the Epoch Wireless Transmitter System
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Related Experiment Videos

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Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid GABA into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
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Long-term Continuous EEG Monitoring in Small Rodent Models of Human Disease Using the Epoch Wireless Transmitter System
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Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Epilepsy patient mortality rates are consistently 2-3 times higher than the general population.
  • Despite advances in epilepsy diagnosis and treatment, premature death rates have not shown a clear decrease historically.
  • Assessing the temporal trend of mortality in a hospital-based epilepsy cohort over three decades is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the changes in mortality rates among patients with epilepsy over a three-decade period.
  • To determine if recent advances in epilepsy care have impacted patient survival.
  • To analyze mortality trends in relation to the time of epilepsy diagnosis.

Main Methods:

  • A hospital-based incidence cohort of epilepsy patients was followed for 5 years post-diagnosis (1980-2007).
  • Deaths and causes were identified via probabilistic record linkage with the Austrian death registry.
  • Age-, sex-, and period-adjusted standardized mortality rates (SMRs) were calculated against the general population.

Main Results:

  • A total of 122 deaths were recorded over 4549.9 person-years.
  • The overall SMR was 2.2, showing a decrease over time: 3.0 (1980-1989), 2.7 (1990-1999), and 1.4 (2000-2007).
  • A statistically significant decline in mortality was observed in the most recent cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Mortality rates in newly diagnosed epilepsy patients have decreased significantly over the past three decades.
  • Improved outcomes may be attributed to advances in epilepsy diagnosis and treatment, such as early detection of drug resistance and new anti-epileptic drugs.
  • The establishment of a comprehensive epilepsy surgery program in the region may also contribute to reduced mortality.