Therapeutic approaches to epileptogenesis--hope on the horizon.
Prevention of epileptogenesis is an unmet need in medicine. During the last 3 years, however, several preclinical studies have demonstrated remarkable favorable effects of novel treatments on genetic and acquired epileptogenesis. These include the use of immunosuppressants and treatments that modify cellular adhesion, proliferation, and/or plasticity. In addition, the use of antiepileptic drugs in rats with genetic epilepsy or proconvulsants in acquired epilepsy models has provided somewhat unexpected favorable effects. This review summarizes these studies, and introduces some caveats when interpreting the data. In particular, the effect of genetic background, the severity of epileptogenic insult, the method and duration of seizure monitoring, and size of animal population are discussed. Furthermore, a novel scheme for defining epileptogenesis-related terms is presented.
Pitkänen
Asla
A
Epilepsy Research Laboratory, AI Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. asla.pitkanen@uef.fi
D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D004834:Epilepsy, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D000077285:Rimonabant; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000188:drug therapy; D009626:Terminology as Topic
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007093:Imidazoles; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D011720:Pyrazoles; C050701:atipamezole; D000077285:Rimonabant; D020123:Sirolimus