This comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to epilepsy compares and contrasts scientific knowledge, clinical experience and social consciousness between Western and non-Western cultures, enhancing transcultural understanding and providing a paradigm for an integrative, truly global health policy for this disorder. Topics covered include pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of epilepsy; care models and traditional medical systems; service organization in resource-limited countries; cultural perspectives on consequences of epilepsy; social, anthropological, economic, political, and spiritual issues related to living with epilepsy; infectious and non-infectious causes and risk-factors; region-specific syndromes. Uniquely drawing attention to both a medical perspective and the burden of living with epilepsy, this is a must-have reference work for epileptologists, neurologists, epidemiologists, medical policymakers and health administrators in both the developed and developing world.

Includes a comprehensive section on complementary and alternative treatment methods of epilepsy, balanced against allopathic treatment and surgical models
Written by expert clinicians representing the continents of Africa, Asia, South America, and the Western world
Outlines research priorities for low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs)

Table of Contents

Part I. Editorial Introduction:
1. Epilepsy: the global burden and transcultural issues
Part II. Infective Causes of Epilepsy:
2. The non-infective causes of epilepsy
3. Infectious causes of epilepsy: NIMHANS experience and review
4. Infectious causes of epilepsy: cerebral malaria
5. Infectious causes of epilepsy: cysticercosis in South America
Part III. Consequences of Epilepsy:
6. Physical consequences of epilepsy
7. Quality of life and the stigma of epilepsy
8. Neuropsychiatric consequences of epilepsy
9. Cognitive consequences of epilepsy: a global perspective
10. Naming epilepsy: culture-specific perceptions of epilepsy
11. Knowledge, attitude and practice toward epilepsy
12. The economic burden of epilepsy in China
Part IV. Comprehensive Epilepsy Care:
13. The clinical approach to investigation and service organization of epilepsy care in low- and middle-income countries
14. Comprehensive epilepsy care: insights from care models in LAMICS: Latin America
15. Comprehensive epilepsy care: transcultural issues and the development of a best practice model in India
16. Comprehensive epilepsy care in China
Part V. The Medical Management of Epilepsy:
17. The medical management of epilepsy: basic principles
18. The medical management of epilepsy: choice of drugs
19. The medical management of epilepsy: use of generic drugs
20. The medical management of epilepsy: antiepileptic drugs and children
21. The medical management of epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries
22. The challenge of epilepsy in low-income countries: insights from Laos
23. Integrated thought: medical management of epilepsy
Part VI. The Surgical Management of Epilepsy:
24. Epilepsy surgery in high-income countries: the example of Great Britain
25. Models of epilepsy surgery in a large LAMIC: ideal and pragmatic
26. Models of epilepsy surgery in a large LAMIC: Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute, India
27. Setting up an epilepsy surgery service in Malaysia
28. Ideal and pragmatic models of epilepsy surgery in a large LAMIC
29. Integrated thought: epilepsy surgery
Part VII. Non-Pharmacologic Management of Epilepsy
30. Non-pharmacologic and psychological management of epilepsy in developed countries
31. Ayurveda and yoga in the management of epilepsy
32. Traditional Chinese medicine in the management of epilepsy
33. Traditional medicine in the management of epilepsy in Ghana
34. Complementary and alternative medicine in the management of epilepsy: a global perspective
35. Integrated thought: non-pharmacologic management of epilepsy
Part VIII. Epilepsy Issues with Global Health Impact:
36. The epilepsy treatment gap
37. Intractable epilepsy: implications with regard to LAMICs
38. Epilepsy and intellectual disability
39. Legal implications of epilepsy and epilepsy management
40. The global campaign against epilepsy
41. Integrated thought: issues with global health impact
Part IX. International Perspectives:
42. Perspectives on epilepsy in Tibet
43. Perspectives on epilepsy from Asian-American populations living in the USA
44. Perspectives on epilepsy in The Lebanon
45. Perspectives on epilepsy in the Philippines
46. Integrated thought: international perspectives.