The independence of the HPA axis indices, inflammatory, immune parameters, and neurotrophic factors (BDNF, CNTF, and NGF) in PWE on the etiology of epilepsy suggests that the alterations observed may result rather from the disease burden, including stress load and seizures, than from the specific pathogenetic mechanisms underlying definite forms of focal epilepsy. This evidence concerns the gene CNTF and epilepsy.