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Related Concept Videos

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

241
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...
241
Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists01:14

Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists

473
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...
473
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

242
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...
242
Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers01:08

Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers

776
Antiepileptic drugs are specialized medications that prevent seizures in individuals diagnosed with epilepsy. These drugs primarily function by blocking the movement of sodium ions through channels in the neuronal membrane, inhibiting the repetitive firing of action potentials often associated with seizures.
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...
776
Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers01:17

Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers

530
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...
530
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators01:18

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

518
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...
518

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 17, 2025

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid GABA into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
07:01

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

Published on: May 16, 2019

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[...First Do No Harm: Drug-Resistant Epilepsy].

Kazuma Koda1, Riki Matsumoto

  • 1Division of Neurology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine.

Brain and Nerve = Shinkei Kenkyu No Shinpo
|December 12, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Epilepsy, a condition involving neuronal hyperexcitability, can be managed with surgery or a ketogenic diet when drugs fail. The ketogenic diet, highlighted in "First Do No Harm," gained insurance coverage in Japan in 2016.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neuroscience

Context:

  • Epilepsy is understood as neuronal hyperexcitability, a shift from historical spiritual attributions.
  • Epilepsy surgery is an option for drug-resistant cases, with improved safety due to functional mapping and intraoperative monitoring.
  • The ketogenic diet is a therapeutic alternative for patients unsuitable for surgery.

Purpose:

  • To provide an overview of current epilepsy management strategies.
  • To highlight the role of the ketogenic diet in treating intractable epilepsy.
  • To note the increasing recognition and accessibility of ketogenic diet therapy.

Summary:

  • Neuronal hyperexcitability is the underlying mechanism of epilepsy.
  • Surgical interventions and ketogenic diets are key treatments for refractory epilepsy.

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Targeted Neuronal Injury for the Non-Invasive Disconnection of Brain Circuitry
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Last Updated: Aug 17, 2025

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid GABA into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
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Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins
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  • The ketogenic diet's efficacy for epilepsy is increasingly recognized, evidenced by its insurance coverage in Japan.

    • Impact:

    • Enhanced understanding of epilepsy treatment paradigms.
    • Increased awareness of the ketogenic diet as a viable therapeutic option.
    • Potential for improved patient outcomes in epilepsy management.