title: Epileptogenesis, ictogenesis and the design of future antiepileptic drugs.
abstract: There is still no medical cure for epilepsy. Clinical epileptology is in need of a "paradigm shift" when it comes to the continuing development of therapeutics. An important first step in this conceptual evolution is differentiating between the notions of ictogenesis and epileptogenesis. All traditional therapeutics are anti-ictogenic, not antiepileptogenic. The future of antiepileptic drug development lies in the discovery of antiepileptogenics. Just as aspirin is not the drug of choice for meningitis, an anticonvulsant is not the drug of choice for epilepsy. Drug design for epilepsy needs to discover a penicillin, not more aspirins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Neurology), Dalhousie University. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: Donald F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Weaver
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015195:Drug Design; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid