**Special thanks**

I would like to thank Dr. T. A. T. Hughes, Prof. K. Hamandi, Prof. W. Gray, Prof. P. Smith, Dr. G. Payne, from University Hospital of Wales (Cardiff) and Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Center (CUBRIC), Prof. M. Richardson, Dr. L. Nashef, Dr. F. Brunnhuber, Dr. R. Elwes, Dr. N. Mullatti, Dr. A. Valentin, Mr. R. Selway from King's College Hospital (London), Dr. S. Boyd from Great Ormond Street Hospital (London), Prof. C. P. Panayiotopoulos from St. Thomas' Hospital (London), Prof. A. Lang from Krembil Neuroscience Center (Toronto), Prof. I. Bodis-Wollner from SUNY Downstate Medical Center (New York), Dr. J. P. D. Bland and Dr. N. Moran from Kent University Hospitals NHS Trust (Canterbury), Prof. P. Halász from the National Institute of Neuroscience (Budapest), Prof. L. Vécsei, Prof. Z. Janka and Prof. G. Benedek from University Hospital and Medical School of Szeged, Prof. G. Kostopoulos and Prof. A. Bezerianos from Medical

University of Patras, who have influenced my development in Neurology, Epileptology and Clinical Neurophysiology through discussions and collaborations we have had over the years. Most importantly, I would like to thank all the patients I care for, working every day on improving their health and quality of life. Last but not least, I would like to thank my parents and my family for their endless support all these years. I hope this novel approach to epilepsy will open the way to a better understanding of the mechanisms of epileptogenesis, improved pharmacological, neurosurgical and neurostimulation treatment strategies, and the development of new antiepileptic and epileptogenesis-modifying medications.
