Abstract: Excessive brain neuronal excitability, associated with a seizure disorder, can be correlated with increased mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity in neurons. Such excessive excitability can be ameliorated by administering an effective amount of a compound, such as a MAPK phosphorylation or kinase activity inhibitor, that reduces the amount of MAPK activity in neurons of an individual suffering from a seizure disorder. Compounds that inhibit phosphorylation or kinase activity of upstream activators or downstream targets of the MAPK cascade also are useful in this context.