The research may lead to treatments and even possible prevention of the chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked seizures, said the researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y.

Their findings, published in the January edition of Experimental Neurology, suggest a genetic predisposition, coupled with the occurrence of a patient's first seizures, could set the neurologic stage for later epilepsy.

They tested multiple strains of mice for their initial seizure response over a similar eight-day period and examined any changes in seizure type or severity that occurred after a one-month rest period.

They found the seizures in all the strains of mice but one got worse after the rest period. That one strain's seizures remained unchanged after the rest period.

The researchers concluded that part of the brain was changed and activated during the rest period but that the one mouse strain had a genetic component that protected its brain from modification, the study said.

They are now locating the genes protecting that mouse strain from this change.

Studying brain changes that cause epilepsy "is important not only to help treat epilepsy, but possibly prevent the condition," graduate student Dominick Papandrea said.