Potassium ion channels and epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the commonest neurological disorder, and genetic factors play a major role in the etiology of epilepsy disorders. In recent years, more and more attention has been paid on the study of potassium channel and epilepsy. The classification of potassium channels is complex, and variants in these genes can lead to a variety of phenotypes from the severest to the mildest, from early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (EIEE) to benign familial neonatal convulsion (BFNC). Moreover, patients with mutations in the same gene may exhibit with distinctive clinical manifestations, the channel dysfunction caused by the variants is correlated with the severity of the disorder. To achieve accurate treatment, the change of channel function is needed to be studied, and more attention should be paid on the development of targeted drugs. Key words: Potassium channels; Epilepsy; Review