Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects over 50 million people worldwide. The causation of epilepsy is multifactorial, and it is often linked to an initial injury, such as a stroke, head injury, brain tumor, or central nervous system infection. However, not all individuals who experience such injuries develop epilepsy. Unfortunately, it is not possible to predict who will develop epilepsy and who won't, primarily because we do not yet fully understand the process called epileptogenesis, in which a normal brain develops into an epileptic brain. Understanding the mechanisms behind epileptogenesis is crucial to identifying potential biomarkers for prognosis and treatment.

In addition, patients with epilepsy are more at risk for structural damage to the brain and nervous system, premature death, physical injuries, comorbidities, and psychosocial dysfunction. Independent of the effects of ongoing seizures, patients also suffer from neuropsychiatric impairment due to the underlying epileptogenic processes. Therefore, it is also of utmost importance to effectively control seizures in patients with epilepsy. The first-choice treatment for epilepsy is the administration of antiepileptic drugs. However, about 30% of patients have drug-resistant epilepsy, requiring treatment alternatives.

This Methods Collection aims to present advanced translational research methods to gain more insight into the mechanisms of epileptogenesis and provide treatment alternatives. The collection will incorporate methods from the following categories, including but not limited to: in vivo imaging methods, electrophysiology, neuromodulation, behavioral assessments, neurochemical analysis, in vitro models, and computational methods.