title: [Epilepsy progress in the dawn of the 21st century].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Review of development on recent acquisitions in Epileptology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A research in the medical literature on PubMed and an exhaustive review of the Published summaries and reports of Epileptology International Meetings, in the last five years. We included cohort studies, reviews and randomized double blinded therapeutic trials publications related to the pathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic advances. Case reports and pure research studies have been excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Defective genes and/or physiopathological mechanisms were identified for some clinical forms of epilepsy. New antiepileptics drugs (AED) with a more accurate pathogenic target were, therefore, developed. Modern technologies of cerebral explorations and in particular the MRI (magnetic resonance imagery) and the PET (Positron Emission Tomography) constitute a progress not only for research but also for the diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation in particular for patients candidates to surgery. Five new drugs are on sale, several others are being studied. Diets would be alternatives to the AED in case of intractable epilepsy. Surgery indication is currently extended to the elderly. The global care of epileptic patients implies also the fight against exclusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The formidable development in epilepsy knowledge in fundamental and in clinical research, is not an exclusive matter of researchers and specialists in this discipline but also with the generalists, the pediatric and all the professionals of health implicated on epileptic's care; thus allowing an improvement of the prognosis and the quality of life of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Service de Neurologie, EPS Charles Nicolle, Tunis.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ben Hamouda
authors.forename: Amel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mrabet
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050528:Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted; D055423:Diet, Ketogenic; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants