Seizures and antiepileptic drugs: does exposure alter normal brain development?
Seizures and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) affect brain development and have long-term neurological consequences. The specific molecular and cellular changes, the precise timing of their influence during brain development, and the full extent of the long-term consequences of seizures and AEDs exposure have not been established. This review critically assesses both the basic and clinical science literature on the effects of seizures and AEDs on the developing brain and finds that evidence exists to support the hypothesis that both seizures and antiepileptic drugs influence a variety of biological process, at specific times during development, which alter long-term cognition and epilepsy susceptibility. More research, both clinical and experimental, is needed before changes in current clinical practice, based on the scientific data, can be recommended.
Marsh
Eric D
ED
Division of Child Neurology and Pediatric Regional Epilepsy Program, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. marshe@email.chop.edu
Brooks-Kayal
Amy R
AR
Porter
Brenda E
BE
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012377:Rodentia; D012640:Seizures / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000927:Anticonvulsants