Background

Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, that may be partial (affecting only a part of the body) or generalized (affecting the whole body) and sometimes accompanied by loss of consciousness and control of bowel or bladder function. These episodes of seizures result from abnormally increased excitability and excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells that result in muscle convulsions. These sudden discharges can arise from different parts of the brain. About 3.4 million people in the U.S. suffer from this disorder and each year about 150,000 in the U.S. alone are newly diagnosed with epilepsy. Currently, there are more than 20 Antiepileptic Drugs (AED) approved by the FDA for treating seizures. However, existing AEDs such