title: Voltage-gated calcium channels and idiopathic generalized epilepsies.
abstract: The idiopathic generalized epilepsies encompass a class of epileptic seizure types that exhibit a polygenic and heritable etiology. Advances in molecular biology and genetics have implicated defects in certain types of voltage-gated calcium channels and their ancillary subunits as important players in this form of epilepsy. Both T-type and P/Q-type channels appear to mediate important contributions to seizure genesis, modulation of network activity, and genetic seizure susceptibility. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the roles of these channels and associated subunits in normal and pathological brain activity within the context of idiopathic generalized epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: Houman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khosravani
authors.forename: Gerald W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Zamponi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels