Understanding and Predicting Epilepsy [Life Sciences]

Epilepsy is the second-most prevalent neurological disorder after migraine and affects 1-2% of the world population. Epilepsy is a spectrum of disorders defined by the occurrence of epileptic seizures, which are characterized by the abnormal firing of large populations of neurons. Epilepsies can have a genetic component (as a direct cause or as risk factor) or can be triggered by a brain insult (including stroke, meningitis, and brain trauma). After the initial insult, complex reorganizations occur in neuronal networks (epileptogenesis), ultimately favoring the emergence of spontaneous seizures [1]. Epilepsy is a dynamic process as the reorganization continues during one's life. Other brain regions may get involved, possibly invoking different mechanisms, requiring changes in medication. Seizures can be very difficult to control, and 30% of patients are drug resistant.