Abstract
Background: Despite the wide availability of novel anti-seizure medications (ASMs), 30% of patients with epilepsy retain persistent seizures with a significant burden in comorbidity and an increased risk of premature death. This review aims to discuss the therapeutic strategies, both pharmacological and non-, which are currently in the pipeline.Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE databases were screened for experimental and clinical studies, meta-analysis, and structured reviews published between January 2018 and September 2021. The terms “epilepsy,” “treatment” or “therapy,” and “novel” were used to filter the results.Conclusions: The common feature linking all the novel therapeutic approaches is the spasmodic rush toward precision medicine, aiming at holistically evaluating patients, and treating them accordingly as a whole. Toward this goal, different forms of intervention may be embraced, starting from the choice of the most suitable drug according to the type of epilepsy of an individual or expected adverse effects, to the outstanding field of gene therapy. Moreover, innovative insights come from in-vitro and in-vivo studies on the role of inflammation and stem cells in the brain. Further studies on both efficacy and safety are needed, with the challenge to mature evidence into reliable assets, ameliorating the symptoms of patients, and answering the challenges of this disease.
Highlights
Epilepsy is the enduring predisposition of the brain to generate seizures, a condition that carries neurobiological, cognitive, psychological, and social consequences [1]
As several investigations are currently in progress, this review aimed to discuss the novel therapeutic insights, with the hope they may establish as turning points in the treatment of patients in the few years
Precision medicine is endorsed in epilepsy management for many decades, as in the clinical practice anti-seizure medications (ASMs) are selected after a careful and pointful evaluation of seizure types of patients, their epilepsy syndrome, comorbidities, concomitant drugs, and expected vulnerability to specific adverse events (AEs) [7]
Summary
Epilepsy is the enduring predisposition of the brain to generate seizures, a condition that carries neurobiological, cognitive, psychological, and social consequences [1]. Over than 30% of individuals do not respond to common anti-seizure medications (ASMs) and are addressed to as “drug-resistant,” a term which the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) applies to those patients who do not respond to the combination of two appropriately chosen and administered ASMs [3, 4]. As several investigations are currently in progress, this review aimed to discuss the novel therapeutic insights, with the hope they may establish as turning points in the treatment of patients in the few years. Despite the wide availability of novel anti-seizure medications (ASMs), 30% of patients with epilepsy retain persistent seizures with a significant burden in comorbidity and an increased risk of premature death. This review aims to discuss the therapeutic strategies, both pharmacological and non-, which are currently in the pipeline
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
