Genetic animal models of epilepsy: a unique resource for the investigation of novel treatment

Human epilepsies comprise a wide range of clinical, behavioral, and electricalmanifestations. Genetic experimental models of epilepsy encompassgenetically predisposed animals in which epileptiform activities either occurspontaneously or in response to various stimulations. The main advantage ofthese animal models is that they simulate the clinical situation of humanepilepsy and can be used for investigations to understand the basicmechanisms as well as providing novel anticonvulsant drug screening method.Different animal species are demonstrating the validity for this purpose indifferent forms of epilepsy, including absence epilepsy, temporal lobeepilepsy, and generalized tonic-clonic epilepsy. A vast number of studiesdemonstrated that genetic animal models of epilepsy offer unique approachesto the investigation of human epilepsy. Genetic animal models of epilepsy willcontinue to promote the progress of epilepsy research.