Catastrophic epilepsies of childhood and their models

Abstract

Catastrophic epilepsies of childhood involve Ohtahara syndrome, West syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Rassmussen encephalopathy. These disorders lead eventually to the deterioration of the nervous system function.

Etiology of the three former syndromes is multiple and they often arise from pre- or perinatal brain damage.

Keywords

• antiepileptic drugs
• N-methyl-D-aspartate
• Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
• West syndrome
• catastrophic epilepsies