Introduction to Neuronal Excitability and Pathophysiology of Seizures: Overview

Understanding seizures and epilepsies requires significant amount of knowledge regarding the possible mechanisms that may account for the development of interictal and ictal discharges that eventually transit to recurrent unprovoked seizures and their consequences. Over the last 150 years, a vast amount of knowledge has been accumulated and with the development of new methodologies and new insights the progress has been geometrically increased. The implications of the pathophysiological changes observed under various conditions imply ways to identify new treatments that may control seizures and the epilepsies as a function of age and sex and etiology whether this is a pharmacological or a non-pharmacological treatment.

In this section, the first three chapters provide basic mechanisms by which one can understand the most fundamental ways seizures may occur. Ackerman and Moshé discuss the excitatory and inhibitory interactions that lead to the development of seizures. The focal line is...