This is a protocol to perform research studies on tissues that are removed in the operating room during surgical procedures for medically intractable epilepsy. Our hypothesis is that we can acquire and supply useful tissue specimens for intramural NIH research projects.

The investigators will be free to select which patients will undergo surgery. However, the total number of patients that can be enrolled in the protocol will be restricted. This protocol is not designed to test any new treatments. Any treatment under this protocol will be based on the current standard of care for epilepsy surgery. The goal of the surgical procedure is to remove the epileptic focus. Standard procedures to be performed are 1) anterior temporal lobectomy or 2) amygdalohippocampectomy for temporal lobe epilepsy, and 3) focal cortical resection for epilepsy that arises outside the temporal lobe. These are the research aspects of the protocol: 1) Any brain tissue that is removed and is not required for diagnostic studies will be used for laboratory studies, consistent with institutional guidelines. 2) Blood tests to test for immune and inflammatory mediators will be performed. In this study superficial temporal artery and scalp tissue biopsies have been taken to obtain control tissue for in vitro experiments of gene expression in vascular disease and of immune-mediated alopecia. Biopsy of the superficial temporal artery and scalp is no longer performed in this protocol because a sufficient number of these specimens has already been obtained for these experiments.

Participants in this protocol will be evaluated for potential eligibility for other NINDS clinical trials as they are developed. However, they will not be required to enter any protocol and their decision to participate will be entirely voluntary. No more than 60 patients will be accepted in this protocol.