Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures of various etiopathogenesis and history. Hyperexcitability and hypersynchronization of neurons are essential features for the development of epileptiform activity. About 80% of patients can achieve remission using adequate therapy. There is an important difference between the developing brain in children and the adult brain in terms of morphology and function. In spite of the great therapeutic advance, there is a group of developmental epileptic syndromes with a poor prognosis – catastrophic epilepsies in childhood (involving early epileptic encephalopathies, West syndrome, and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome). The mechanisms of epileptogenesis in several types of seizures were determined thanks to the animal model research. Additionally, animal models of seizures make possible testing of antiepileptic drugs. Unfortu- nately, in catastrophic epilepsies in childhood, the search for the adequate animal model still continues.

        Key words: epilepsy, ontogenesis, catastrophic epilepsies