Animal models of epilepsy

Abstract

Animal models of epilepsy are valuable tools for studying the pathogenesis of the disease, developing new methods of treatment, searching for anticonvulsants and evaluating their effectiveness. Rodents, such as rats and mice, are the most popular subjects for research due to the similarity of the human and rodent brain structure. Recent studies include other model species such as dogs, cats, primates, as well as non-mammals such as zebrafish, fruit flies, leeches and planarians. This review discusses the use of animal models in research and analyzes their advantages and limitations. The classification of models is based on the phenotype of the disorder, with special attention paid to drug-resistant epilepsy. The review also highlights the imperfection of existing models and the need to select the most relevant for specific research purposes. It is also important to remember that animal models cannot fully recreate the complexity of the clinical picture of epilepsy in humans, but they play an important role in understanding the mechanisms of the disease and developing new therapeutic approaches. In conclusion, the review highlights the need for continuous improvement of existing animal models and the development of new ones to more accurately reflect the diversity of epilepsy phenotypes and provide more effective research and treatment methods. The need for new models of drug-resistant epilepsy, which could help in the development of fundamentally new antiepileptic drugs, remains particularly relevant.