Brain : a journal of neurology
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With the growth in antiepileptic drug treatment, the question arises as to what extent we are merely treating the symptom (i.e. the seizures) rather than the underlying disease process (i.e. epileptogenesis). Epileptogenicity can be considered as the process whereby structural and functional changes occur following an insult that in some cases result in epilepsy. Epileptogenicity also describes some of the changes and processes that contribute to the progression observed in some epilepsies. ⋯ This highlights the importance of medical care at the time of an insult, and of prevention of the insults. This review discusses the data that support the concepts underlying epileptogenesis and the model systems that are presumed to reflect the human condition. Particular attention is paid to the potential for interrupting the processes underlying epileptogenesis.