Advances in epilepsy research are occurring at a rapid rate, resulting in a bewildering wealth of data. The implications of this knowledge for future research and clinical practice can be confusing. This volume concentrates on the concepts and models of epilepsy which have been developed as a result of this research. Written by prominent researchers in the field, this book presents a number of major concepts and hypotheses through which epilepsy research has been advanced. Chapters focus on the pathways and mechanisms through which seizure activity is initiated and spread, in both normal and abnormal brain tissues, and discuss the special properties of epileptogenesis in the immature brain. In a field in which rapid advances lead to constant update of empirical data, this book takes a conceptual approach to the subject and provides a solid framework within which to understand the emerging issues. It will be relevant to basic neuroscientists, neurologists and neurosurgeons.

"...covers a broad spectrum of important issues and concepts and should stimulate discussion among clinical epidemiologists and basic scientists interested in the pathophysiology of epilepsy...a lucid, well thought out review of many of the major issues in epilepsy research and much of the progress that has been made over the past few decades. I highly recommend this volume." J.H. Schneiderman, The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences

"...well written and edited...would provide a more advanced reader an excellent overview of where research on basic mechanisms of the epilepsies now stands, and where it is heading." Robert S. Fisher, Electroencephalography & Clinical Neurophysiology

"...this is a book oriented to neuroscientists, neurologists, and neurosurgeons interested in epilepsy, that can clarify many concepts. These concepts are useful tools to understand antiepileptic drug mechanisms, the different age-related sensitivity of the brain to different insults, and the physiological mechanisms of normal brain that support an epileptic activity." Xabier Beristain, Neurological Research

"This book is an excellent reference for recent work in epilepsy research, in both thought-provoking and technical ways. It is highly recommended for scientists and clinicians interested in epilepsy." Cynthia L. Harden, Quarterly Review of Biology