Abstract
Epilepsy Currents turns 20 this year. The founding editors—a pair of clinical scientists (Gregory Bergey, MD, and Susan Spencer, MD) and a pair of basic scientists (Robert Macdonald, MD, PhD, and Michael Rogawski, MD, PhD)—envisioned a new journal under the leadership of the American Epilepsy Society (AES). They conceived of a journal that would reflect the position of the AES as the largest chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) but would not directly compete with Epilepsia, the journal of the ILAE. The journal adopted a unique format: An expert board of contributing editors would scan the current literature and then write commentaries on the original research, offering critical analysis along with historical and scientific perspective. Added to these distinctive commentaries were clinical and basic science review articles and clinical guidelines that were often widely cited. The publication of key epilepsy guidelines served to strengthen ties between the AES and the American Academy of Neurology. Timely updates in the field were captured in the “It’s Current” department.
In this special anniversary issue, we dust off some classic articles and commentaries from the early years of the journal and ask current leaders in the field—often the author of the original piece 20 years ago—to update the commentary, share what we know now that we didn’t know then, and also point out how far we still have to go.
At 20, we celebrate that Epilepsy Currents continues to serve the AES membership and broader epilepsy community. The founders imagined that at some point the journal might begin to publish original, peer-reviewed research. Subsequent senior editors have entertained such changes in the journal content, but the success of the journal in more or less its original format prevailed. Dr Bergey, interviewed earlier this year, observed that the enduring success of the commentary format was unanticipated. It is clear that Epilepsy Currents fills a vital niche.
As the epilepsy scientific literature has expanded to become nearly unmanageable, Epilepsy Currents continues to deliver pithy bimonthly commentaries on key articles in the field. Its content is highly accessible and invaluable for both trainees entering the field and seasoned experts. It allows clinicians to stay abreast of developments in the basic science of epilepsy and affords basic scientists a view to where the clinical field is heading. We are indebted to our outstanding board of contributing editors to whom we entrust the crowdsourced identification of key articles in the literature for commentaries and the writing of these expert commentaries. Although the legal drinking age in the United States is 21, you’ll forgive us for popping the cork at 20 and raising a glass to the next 20 years of Epilepsy Currents!
