Epilepsy

Question 1

What is epilepsy

Answer 1

Abnormal, excessive electrical discharge from neurons (imbalance between excitationory and inhibitiory neurotrasnmitters)

• can get mutations in channels that could cause this, drugs that block GABA receptors or activate Glu receptors
• may be associated with a loss of conciseness or not
• may be partial (only certain part of brain) or generalised (whole of brain)
• some seizures produce neuronal injury

Question 2

Drugs to treat seizures

Answer 2

-Na+ channel blockers - e.g carbamazepine