REVIEW PAPER ON: Seizures and Epilepsy: An Overview for Neuroscientists

Epilepsy is one of the most common and disabling neurologic conditions, yet we have an incomplete understanding of the detailed pathophysiology and, thus, treatment rationale for much of epilepsy.This article reviews the clinical aspects of seizures and epilepsy with the goal of providing neuroscientists an introduction to aspects that might be amenable to scientific investigation.Seizures and epilepsy are defined, diagnostic methods are reviewed, various clinical syndromes are discussed, and aspects of differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis are considered to enable neuroscientists to formulate basic and translational research questions.This overview of basic clinical aspects of seizures and epilepsy-including their classification, diagnosis, and treatment-will enable neuroscientists to formulate and refine key research questions that advance the field.This article provides an overview of seizures and epilepsy for neuroscientists.We focus on broad concepts, rather than clinical details, and raise questions related to mechanisms, epileptogenesis, and therapeutic approaches that might generate interest among basic researchers.Further information about differential diagnosis, drug doses, and clinical management are available from numerous resources (Engel and Pedley 2008; Duchowny et al. 2012; Engel 2013 We first define seizures and epilepsy and summarize their classification, pathophysiology, and genetics.Diagnostic methods are then considered, including the importance of an accurate historical description of an event suspected to be a seizure and the appropriate use of ancillary/confirmative tests, such as electroencephalogram (EEG), neuroimaging, and genetic studies.These modalities enable the clinician to differentiate epilepsy fromnumerous clinical conditions that mimic seizures, but have a nonepileptic pathophysiological basis.Exa mples of epilepsy syndromes are then described, selected based on their frequency in the population or because they embody scientific questions that warrant elucidation.Finally, we provide an overview of treatment options and prognosis, including a consideration of conditions that accompany epilepsy (comorbidities) and complicate the daily lives of people with epilepsy.Subsequent articles in this collection explore the scientific basis of many of the clinical concepts introduced her A "seizure" is a paroxysmal alteration of neurologic function caused by the excessive, hyper synchronous discharge of neurons in the brain Keyword for neuroscience research paper on "Seizures and Epilepsy: An Overview," keywords should encompass neurobiological mechanisms, cellular excitability, neuronal networks, ion channels, neuroplasticity, epileptogenesis, animal models, diagnosis, and therapeutic targets, reflecting both the fundamental science and translational aspects relevant to neuroscientists.