Oxford Textbook of Epilepsy and Epileptic Seizures

Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological condition, affecting children and adults, and can occur in a variety of medical settings. It has many causes and many forms, and a variable prognosis. Mortality and morbidity are high, social and legal consequences can stretch well beyond the purely medical, and its management is often poor. Part of the Oxford Textbooks in Clinical Neurology (OTCN) series, this volume covers the scientific basis, clinical diagnosis, and treatment of epilepsy and epileptic seizures. Written by internationally-renowned specialists, each chapter comprehensively covers the current knowledge and evidence base related to each aspect of the disorder, with an emphasis on the personal experience of the authors. The print edition of the Oxford Textbook of Epilepsy and Epileptic Seizures is complemented by an online version, which allows access to the full content of the textbook, contains links from the references to primary research journal articles, enables full text searches, and provides access to figures and tables that can be downloaded to PowerPoint®. This textbook will prove a useful clinical reference for neurologists and senior trainees in neurology, an educational manual for trainees, and will offer practical assistance to all physicians advising people with epilepsy. Table of Contents 1. Neurophysiology of epilepsy ; 2. Neurogenetics of epilepsy ; 3. Neurochemistry of epilepsy ; 4. Developmental neurobiology, neuroanatomy, and neuropathology of epilepsy ; 5. Definitions and epidemiology of epilepsy ; 6. The causes of epilepsy ; 7. Classification, clinical symptoms, and syndromes ; 8. Differential diagnosis of epilepsy ; 9. EEG in the investigation of epilepsy ; 10. Neuroimaging in the Investigation of epilepsy ; 11. The biochemical, haematological, histological, immunological, and genetic investigation of epilepsy ; 12. Non-pharmacological therapy of epilepsy ; 13. Reproductive aspects of epilepsy ; 14. Neonatal seizures and infantile onset epilepsies ; 15. Epileptic encephalopathies ; 16. Principles of treatment of epilepsy in children and adolescents ; 17. Epilepsy in learning disability ; 18. Epilepsy in the elderly ; 19. Psychiatric co-morbidity in epilepsy ; 20. Epilepsy due to traumatic brain injury (TBI), cerebrovascular disease (CVD), central nervous system (CNS) infections and brain tumours ; 21. Epilepsy in renal, hepatic, and other conditions ; 22. Management of patients with first seizure and early epilepsy ; 23. The medical treatment of chronic active epilepsy ; 24. Epilepsy in remission ; 25. Drug interactions ; 26. The pharmacokinetics and clinical therapeutics of the antiepileptic drugs ; 27. Principles of epilepsy surgery ; 28. Resective surgery of temporal lobe epilepsy ; 29. Resective surgery of extra-temporal epilepsy ; 30. Vagal berve stimulation and deep brain stimulation in epilepsy ; 31. Other surgeries for epilepsy and new approaches ; 32. Management of seizures and of epilepsy in the emergency department ; 33. The management of status epilepticus on the intensive care unit ; 34. Epilepsy and employment ; 35. Sexual and emotional behaviour in epilepsy ; 36. Cognition and memory in adults ; 37. Legal aspects of epilepsy and epilepsy and driving