Missing pieces in the epilepsy puzzle.
Research regarding the basic mechanisms of the epilepsies has been limited and has generated few clues that have led to dramatic improvements in the surgical therapy of epilepsy. It is now known that the epileptic focus is characterized by a population of pacemaker neurons that fire autonomously in bursts. When this high frequency discharge recruits bursting activity in neighboring neurons, a propagating seizure occurs. Such data as well as other recent data in neurobiology indicate that new forms of surgical therapy may be forthcoming including brain transplantation as well as local application of transmitter compounds which may significantly improve the therapy of epilepsy.
D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009417:Nerve Tissue / Q000637:transplantation; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques
D000927:Anticonvulsants