Contents



Preface

Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder globally, affecting approximately 50 million people of all ages. It is one of the oldest diseases described in literature from remote ancient civilizations 2000–3000 years ago. Despite its long history and wide spread, epilepsy is still surrounded by myth and prejudice, which can only be overcome with great difficulty. The term *epilepsy* is derived from the Greek verb *epilambanein*, which by itself means to be seized and to be overwhelmed by surprise or attack. Therefore, epilepsy is a condition of getting over, seized, or attacked. The twelve very interesting chapters of this book cover various aspects of epileptology from the history and milestones of epilepsy as a disease entity to the

The first chapter is an introductory chapter written by the editors. In this chapter, we trace the earliest records and the major milestones in the history of epilepsy since the early civilization in Mesopotamia (the ancient name of Iraq), almost 2000–3000 B.C. These early establishments include the Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and Akkadian civilizations. The first description of epilepsy was written in the Akkadian language in about 2000 B.C., in which the author described a condition similar to epileptic seizures in a patient. The contribution of the ancient Egyptian, old Chines, and Greek civilizations to the history of epilepsy is also described in this chapter. The father of medicine, Hippocrates, in his book "Sacred Disease" written in 400 B.C, raised the first dispute about the divine origin of epilepsy. He said ''This disease is in my opinion no more divine than any other; it has the same nature as other diseases and the cause that gives rise to individual diseases. This chapter also follows the evolution of epilepsy as a disease entity and the discovery of anticonvulsant therapy throughout the middle ages and provides a short review about the misconceptions, incorrect beliefs, and myths surrounding

The second chapter by Vanessa Lin Lin Lee and Mohd. Farooq Shaikh, briefly discusses how neuroinflammation is involved in epileptogenesis as well as the status of inflammation in post-epileptic conditions; whether it is the cause or consequence of epilepsy, together with experimental evidence. The exact cause of epilepsy is still unknown, but there is mounting evidence showing that the development of epileptogenesis can be linked to a wide array of factors such as genetic predisposition, developmental disorders, and neurological insults. Neurological insults, which contribute to up to 60% of epilepsy cases, include traumatic brain injuries, cerebrovascular accidents, central nervous system infections, and strokes. Inflammation is one of the key features of epileptogenesis. However, the role of inflammation in epilepsy is still being actively studied, with various arguments on whether inflammation is the cause or consequence of epilepsy. The blood-brain barrier (BBB), which functions as a protector of the central nervous system, has an important role in regulating the transfer of blood constituents in the brain extracellular space. Increased BBB permeability or BBB leakage is said to be one of the earliest characteristics of the pathophysiology of epileptogenesis. BBB dysfunction may contribute to epileptogenesis via a cascade of events triggered by leakage of inflammatory mediators into the central nervous system (CNS), which causes neuroinflammation.

most recent advances in understanding and diagnosing epilepsy.

epilepsy.
