Author Description

An excellent stand-alone reference book, which will assist the busy neurologist to quickly find essential information, and with sufficient depth to take well informed decisions in clinical practice. The book addresses one of the most prevalent neurological disorders: the epilepsies. The classification of the epilepsies and epileptic seizures as accepted by the International League Against Epilepsy is presented by a prominent member of the responsible commission. After an overview of the epidemiology, the basic mechanisms of epileptogenesis are discussed. In a handbook the emphasis is on aspects of differental diagnosis, auxiliary diagnostic procedures and treatment. As one of the problems that faces the neurologist is the distinction between the syndromes that have been recognized and incorporated in the international classification, each is allocated a chapter. Although many epilepsies are of idiosyncratic or cryptogenic origin a special section is devoted to aetiological factors. The treatment section not only deals with pharmacotherapy, but also with surgical treatment, psycho-social rehabilitation and the treatment of associated psychiatric disorders. The contents of this volume have been screened to contain as much as possible established facts, and the least possible speculative matter. An exception has been made for the developments in the relatively new field of assessment of the impact of epilepsy and its treatment on quality of life.