Epilepsy abstracts: its role in disseminating scientific information

The Epilepsy Information Program in the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, established as a consequence of recommendations of the Public Health Service Advisory Committee on the Epilepsies, launched its first issue of Epilepsy Abstracts in November 1967. Epilepsy Abstracts (EA) is but one service of the Program which was designed to serve as the national focal point for the collection, analysis, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of information relating to the epilepsies. The main objective is to stimulate research activity in this area. The eventual aim of EA is worldwide literature coverage in the field of epilepsy with minimum time lag between the publication of an article in a primary journal and the appearance of its abstract and indexing information in EA. Each issue of EA includes computer-generated subject and author indexes. The tape files are extremely versatile, allowing for maximum usage to meet many needs. Potential uses for the material in the master file include custom made publications, selective annotated bibliographies, selective dissemination of information (SDI) and retrospective search services.