... nervous system by a series of electrical impulses that are passed on from one neuron (named the pre-synaptic neuron) to another neuron (named the post-synaptic neuron). In order for these neurons to transmit these electrical signals, a special group of chemicals, named neurotransmitters, are used. These neurotransmitters can be categorized into two categories, excitory neurotransmitters, and inhibitory neurotransmitters. By definition, excitory neurotransmitters act to excite the post-synaptic neuron into passing on the electrical impulse, whereas inhibitory neurotransmitters act to inhibit the post-synaptic neuron from passing on the signal. A disruption in this system of excitory and inhibitory neurons can cause abnormalities to occur, and epilepsy may result. Research has established that a major cause of epilepsy lies with an inhibitory neurotransmitter called ?-amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter synthesized in the central nervous system (CNS), and is produced from a substance called glutamate. Research conducted found that a mutation ...

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