Pediatric epilepsy models.

Pediatric epilepsy models are needed to help with development of drugs for specific childhood and infantile epilepsy syndromes. The major forms of pediatric epilepsy can be divided into those that occur in the neonatal period, infancy, early childhood and late childhood. Seizures in the immature brain are different from those in adult brain, often resulting in neuronal death. Rodent models are useful in mimicking seizures in the immature brain (neonatal seizures, infantile spasms, and febrile seizures). No specific models exist for syndromes (e.g., Lennox-Gastaut, Landau-Kleffner). The interaction between brain development and epilepsy in humans can be assisted by use of high resolution MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, and functional MRI.