This was an exciting project to work on, and I attempted to obtain a
broad sampling of current research on the neuropsychology of epilepsy.
Because the emphasis of the book takes a neuropsychological perspective
on epilepsy, the coverage is not redundant with previous texts on this
topic. The book is organized around three themes, although individual
chapters certainly often extend beyond the part in which they are
located. The three major topics are the nature of epilepsy, cognitive
and emotional consequences of epilepsy, and treatment approaches to
epilepsy and outcome. In Part I, following a historical overview of
epilepsy in Chapter 1 by Sandra D. Haynes and me, Gerald C. McIntosh
presents a conceptualization of the epilepsies from a neurologist's
perspective. The characteristics of seizure types are discussed, and the
etiology of secondary epilepsies is described. Epileptic syndromes are
considered. McIntosh outlines clinical seizure patterns associated with
seizures originating from different cortical regions.