Epilepsy is a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent self-limited seizures in which the brain is subjected to abnormal, excessive discharges synchronized throughout a localized or generalized population of neurons. In recent years it has been elucidated that some idiopathic epilepsies are caused by genetic abnormalities. Most of these genetic studies have been done on familial epilepsy syndromes. All identified causative genes of human familial epilepsy syndrome encode ion channels. The genetic aetiology of a large number of idiopathic epilepsies has still not been determined. In such cases the genetic contributions to the epilepsies may be complex, involving a number of genes, possibly interacting. Systems, which interact directly or indirectly with neurotransmission, can be involved in the generation of seizures and thus contributing to epilepsy syndromes. Mutations in these genes may predispose to epilepsy and studies are being carried out to determine some of these mutations in the Maltese populations.