BIOL 373: Background Neuroscience

The neurobiology of epilepsy is an article that was written in 2007. It is a very detailed and in depth scientific paper, so do not spend too much time reading every single word and just focus on the big picture ideas. This includes a brief history of epilepsy, some thoughts on what causes it, a description of nerve cells and their electrical properties, and the mechanisms of how epilepsy is thought to occur.

Neuroscience news is a very informative website that provides up to date information on topics involving neuroscience. This link will take you to the archives section and has lists of articles dealing with current (and not so current) issues involving the neuroscience behind epilepsy. This website deals with neuroscience topics well beyond epilepsy; so feel free to explore as much as you would like!

An in depth look at the molecular mechanisms of epilepsy. This source is very detailed and very scientific, so once again do not get bogged down in the details if you do not have that much of a neuroscience or biology background. It is from 2015 so it is very recent, and it gives a comprehensive look at excitation/inhibition within a circuit and how this process goes awry in epileptic patients.

Another link providing a lot of information on epilepsy and electrophysiological changes of the brains of affected individuals. This article gives much more background information on the nervous system and how neurons, synapses, and circuits work. It would be useful to use this resource as a back-up of sorts, where you can come back to this article for a description of a concept or for a definition if you come across something that is causing you to struggle in another article/paper/resource.

This article describes how functional changes in astroglial cells can lead to epilepsy. Unfortunately, it cannot be accessed for free unless an interlibrary loan is requested. If one is interested in recent primary research, then click on the link below and fill out the form so Beloit College can help you out!

In case the videos on the right were not enough to quench your desire to learn about neurons, or if you simply learn more by reading rather than watching videos then this link is for you. It is through Khan Academy and provides basic information on what a synapse is and how it works. This article puts complex ideas into simple and understandable language - it is very worth your while if you are struggling to understand important neuroscience topics like structure of a neuron, function of a synapse, or the role of neurotransmitters in neuronal communication.

This link will take you to a website called "Neuroscience for Kids", and although it may be for kids it provides information on topics like epilepsy in a very simplified and easy to understand manner... just in case these last resources did not get the job done or you are seeking more information.