Characterization of pathology

The recent advances in imaging- and epilepsy-surgery techniques contributed critically to gain further insights in the structural brain abnormalities in patients with epilepsy, by combining traditional routine histopathological methods with functional analysis. This approach, together with the recent developments in the molecular genetics of epilepsies, has improved diagnosis and classification of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and focal cortical dysplasias (FCD). However, the mechanisms underlying the development of specific structural abnormalities and their causal relationship with seizure development is still controversial, and requires appropriate animal models that recreate faithfully the key neuropathological features. The present chapter provides a detailed description of the most common histopathological findings encountered in epilepsy surgery patients with HS and FCD. The histopathological differences and similarities between the available animal models and the human equivalent are addressed, and the limitations of the animal models in mimicking the full range of neuropathological features of human disorders are discussed. Experimental details on the models can be found in separate book chapters.