Pioneers and Emerging Pediatric Neurologists and Epileptologists in the World

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder in the pediatric age group, and it could present isolated or in association with additional neurological and neurodevelopmental features. Epilepsy accounts for a variety of neurological disorders characterized by recurrent seizures, and the major goal of its treatment is to eliminate seizures without producing important side effects. During the last two decades, different drug treatments for the treatment of a large variety of seizure types and epilepsy syndromes in children have been developed and marketed.

However, despite optimal medical treatment, seizures in children could still be difficult to be controlled or eliminated, especially in the context of developmental epileptic encephalopathies.

The etiology of epilepsy is extremely complex and heterogeneous, and both genetic and acquired factors can be responsible of this condition. Symptomatic epilepsies in children have mainly acquired causes, including tumors, metabolic diseases, and malformations of cortical development. However, the majority of epilepsies in the pediatric age group have some genetic basis and, especially in infants and young children, monogenic causes play a very important role. High-throughput sequencing technologies revealed during the last decade defects in a growing number of ion channels, transporters, and synaptic regulators, underlying different forms of epilepsy syndromes.

In the last 3 to 5 years, advances in the feasibility of next-generation-sequencing analysis tremendously expanded the list of genes underlying developmental epileptic encephalopathies or implicated in different seizures types. The large-scale studies required for epilepsy genes discovery often involved transnational efforts and networks of pediatric neurologists and epileptologists across different countries, such as the synaptopathies and paroxysmal syndromes (SYNAPS) study group research initiative or the Epi25k collaborative Consortium.

The intent of this special issue “Pediatric Epilepsy Pioneers and Educational Programs Worldwide” is to provide a comprehensive overview of major international centers involved in the management of children with epilepsy. This volume describes biographies and clinical and research activities of several pediatric epileptologists during the time of their careers.

These clinicians and researchers came from different medical backgrounds (pediatrics, neurology, and internal medicine), but they are leading international experts in the field of pediatric epilepsy and all of them significantly contributed to current knowledge on epilepsy research. A section of this special issue is dedicated to providing information regarding available national and international educational programs which are focused on epilepsy and pediatric epilepsy, bridging the gap between clinical training and research. This work was only possible through the work of all contributors and international authorities who contributed to write the sections of the special issue. Each author has helped to identify present pediatric epilepsy issues and progress in their countries and/or what still needs to be done to advance the cause. Our collective goal is a unified approach, clinicians with basic researchers, for relieving children with epilepsy suffering to enable a more enjoyable quality of life.

We hope this series of biographies of different pediatric epilepsy pioneers will serve as a helpful guide and inspiration for many pediatric neurologists around the globe, including those beginning their careers, as well as for medical students, residents, and young researchers.