[How our view of epileptogenesis and mechanism of epilepsy changes? The system epilepsies' concept].

Background and purpose To examine the ways of epileptogenesis closely linked to the system epilepsies' concept. Methods We follow the ways of epileptic transformation in the declarative memory-system, in the sleep/arousal twin-systems, in the perisylvian neuronal network and in postinjury epilepsy, which we consider a general model of the epileptic transformation. Results In the presented systems, epileptogenesis shares a similar mechanism in the form of augmentation and derailment of plasticity and sleep-related synaptic homeo-stasis. This highlights the central role of NREM sleep in those epilepsies. Conclusion We try to characterize the concept of system epilepsies and suggest a shared mechanism of epileptogenesis.