An epileptologist is a

neurologist Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous system, which comprises the brain, the ...

who specializes in the treatment of

epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of Non-communicable disease, non-communicable Neurological disorder, neurological disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent, unprovoked Seizure, seizures. A seizure is a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activit ...

. Epileptologists are experts in

epileptic seizure A seizure is a sudden, brief disruption of brain activity caused by abnormal, excessive, or synchronous neuronal firing. Depending on the regions of the brain involved, seizures can lead to changes in movement, sensation, behavior, awareness, o ...

s and seizure disorders,

anticonvulsant Anticonvulsants (also known as antiepileptic drugs, antiseizure drugs, or anti-seizure medications (ASM)) are a diverse group of pharmacological agents used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also used in the treatme ...

s, and special situations involving seizures, such as cases in which all treatment intended to stop seizures has failed and epilepsy (especially poorly controlled epilepsy) in

pregnant women Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring gestates inside a woman's uterus. A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Conception usually occurs following vaginal intercourse, but can also ...

. Some epileptologists specialize in treatment of epilepsy in

children A child () is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking ...

. The training required for expertise in epilepsy generally involves a

residency Residency may refer to: * Artist-in-residence, a program to sponsor the residence and work of visual artists, writers, musicians, etc. * Concert residency, a series of concerts performed at one venue * Domicile (law), the act of establishing or m ...

in neurology or pediatric neurology followed by a fellowship in

clinical neurophysiology Clinical neurophysiology is a medical specialty that studies the central and peripheral nervous systems through the recording of bioelectrical activity, whether spontaneous or stimulated. It encompasses both research regarding the pathophysiology ...

or epilepsy. The

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1934 following conferences of committees appointed by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Neurological Association, and the t ...

first held subspecialty certifications in epilepsy after a vote in 2010 with ACGME-accredited fellowships appearing in the mid-2010s. Accredited fellowships are one year in duration and focus on training in EEG, surgical planning, and the clinical treatment of epilepsy. An epileptologist is not necessary for the treatment of all seizure disorders, and is generally only consulted if seizures do not stop, despite treatment from a regular physician or neurologist.

Origin of the field

The field of epileptology was first created early in the 20th century. William P. Spratling is identified as the first epileptologist. He is said to have coined the term in 1904.

Origin of the field

* William P. Spratling *

Hippocrates Hippocrates of Kos (; ; ), also known as Hippocrates II, was a Greek physician and philosopher of the Classical Greece, classical period who is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine. He is traditionally referr ...

Jean-Martin Charcot Jean-Martin Charcot (; 29 November 1825 – 16 August 1893) was a French neurology, neurologist and professor of anatomical pathology. He worked on groundbreaking work about hypnosis and hysteria, in particular with his hysteria patient Louise A ...

* William Gowers *

Hans Berger Hans Berger (21 May 1873 – 1 June 1941) was a German psychiatrist. He is best known as the inventor of electroencephalography (EEG) in 1924, which is a method used for recording the electrical activity of the brain, commonly described in terms ...

Wilder Penfield Wilder Graves Penfield (January 26, 1891April 5, 1976) was an American-Canadian neurosurgeon. He expanded brain surgery's methods and techniques, including mapping the functions of various regions of the brain such as the cortical homunculus. ...

* Cassidy Megan * José Enrique Cavazos * Jacqueline A. French *

Alon Friedman Alon Friedman () is a professor of Neuroscience at both Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Beersheba, Israel, and in Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He is best known for his discoveries of the link between blood–bra ...

Graham Harding Graham Frederick Anthony Harding (19 March 1937 – 20 October 2018) of Aston University was the first professor of clinical neurophysiology in the United Kingdom. He was the first to recognise that television broadcasts and video games could tr ...

Alfred Hauptmann Alfred Hauptmann (August 29, 1881, in Gleiwitz, Upper Silesia – April 5, 1948, in Boston, Massachusetts) was a German-Jewish psychiatrist and neurologist. His most important contribution remained the article written in 1912 on the effectiveness ...

Uwe Heinemann Uwe Heinemann (17 February 1944 – 8 September 2016) was a German neuroscientist. He was born on 17 February 1944 in Genthin.Anonymous: ''Neue Ehrenmitglieder und korrespondierende Mitglieder.'' In: ''Epilepsie-Brief.'' Nr. 87, 1987, S. 48. Hein ...

Brian Litt Brian Litt is a Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Bioengineering at the Perelman School of Medicine and University of Pennsylvania. He is the former director of the Penn Epilepsy Center, and is director of the Center for Neuroengineering ...

Wolfgang Löscher Wolfgang Löscher (born 3 October 1949, Berlin, Germany) is currently a Guest Scientist at the Hannover Medical School and Head of the Translational Neuropharmacology Lab of the Department of Experimental Otology of the ENT Clinics. He is also Pr ...

* Dominick P. Purpura * Jean H. Thurston *

Denis John Williams Denis John Williams (1908–1990) was a Welsh neurologist and epileptologist. Biography Denis Williams graduated from the University of Manchester with BSc in 1929, MB ChB in 1932, and MD in 1935. In 1936 Denis Williams returned and brough ...

* M. A. Aleem *

Bindu Menon Bindu Menon (born 1970) is an Indian neurologist, health activist, researcher and academician from Andhra Pradesh. She is known for providing free treatment to patients with Neurological disorder in rural areas of India through her organization, ...

B. K. Misra Dr. Basant Kumar Misra is a neurosurgeon specialising in treating brain, spine, cerebrovascular and peripheral nervous system disorders, injuries, pathologies and malformations. He is the Vice-President of the World Federation of Neurosurgical ...

* Kurupath Radhakrishnan

References

External links

* {{Seizures and epilepsy