Objective:To investigate the levels of neuron-specific enolase(NSE)in serum and to explore neuronal damage in absence epilepsy children after seizures. Methods:Twenty two children with absence epilepsy were enrolled,according to whether the hyperventilation induced absence seizures or not. The children were divided into two subgroups:10 cases of absence seizures group/12 cases of non-seizure group. and twenty healthy children served as normal control group. The blood samples were collected within 30 minutes after seizure. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the serum NSE in all the children. Results:The serum levels of NSE in the absence seizures group were significantly higher than those in non-seizure group and normal control group(P < 0.01);but there was no significant difference between non- seizures group and normal control group (P > 0.05). Conclusion:The levels of serum NSE in children with absence epilepsy were markedly increased after seizures. suggesting that a certain degree of neuronal damage may result from absence seizures. Neuron-specific enolase may server as an important specificity of biochemical marker in the early detection of neuronal damage after absence seizures.