Why is understanding of mechanisms of interictal discharges important for clinical practice

The relationship between interictal discharges and seizures in focal epilepsies is debated. Interictal spiking and other patterns either increase or decrease ahead of a focal seizure. It is likely that interictal events with different functional meaning with respect to seizure generation exist. The identification of the neurobiological mechanisms that control interictal patterns that exert either a precipitating or a protective action in focal ictogenesis may be relevant to develop new therapeutic strategies to anticipate or abort seizures. The differences between interictal and pre-ictal unit firing and population spike patterns will be reviewed in animal model of focal seizures and epilepsy and in recordings performed with intracranial electrodes in patients suffering from drug-resistant focal epilepsies, submitted to pre-surgical evaluation.