Abstract

Usefulness of the new seizure and epilepsy classifications in clinical practice

Author(s): Andreas Schulze-Bonhage*

The classification of seizures and epilepsies was revised by the International League Against Epilepsy in 2001 and 2010, respectively. Using the new seizure glossary gives more precise information on seizures, which is helpful to better understand the severity of the disease, assess ictal and peri-ictal impairments and to target treatment. The new epilepsy classification resolves some terminological problems of the pre-existing scheme (e.g., giving up the classifier ‘generalized’ vs ‘localization-related’), but has provided little progress in terms of a new organization of the epilepsies. Changes in seizure classification may thus be of more practical benefit compared with the use of the suggested epilepsy classification scheme.