Editorial: Ion-channels in epilepsy

Abstract

The research title “Ion-channels in epilepsy” that we have prepared has accepted articles from important researchers in the field from countries such as the United States of America, Australia, Germany, China, and Spain. Four of these articles are original research, one of them is a brief research report article, and one is a review article. In the articles, the contribution of ion-channels to epilepsy has been examined. Summaries of these six articles are listed as follows. Channelopathies are an emerging group of genetically determined neurologic disorders affecting the functionality of ion-channels. These disorders are characterized by a wide genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. In the study by Koch et al. the effect of ion-channel mutations on neuronal firing was investigated by simulation. Through this, the importance of neuron type was discussed by predicting channelopathy in the KV1.1 channel encoded by the KCNA1 gene (Koch et al.). The simulations in the research have revealed the importance of personalized medicine approaches. Modeling approaches are also highlighted to provide insight into channelopathies quickly and efficiently.