Therapeutic Targets for the Treatment of Comorbidities Associated with Epilepsy

Curr Mol Pharmacol. 2020;13(2):85-93. doi: 10.2174/1874467212666191203101606.

Abstract

One of the most common neurological disorders, which occurs among 1% of the population worldwide, is epilepsy. Therapeutic failure is common with epilepsy and nearly about 30% of patients fall in this category. Seizure suppression should not be the only goal while treating epilepsy but associated comorbidities, which can further worsen the condition, should also be considered. Treatment of such comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, cognition, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and, various other disorders which co-exist with epilepsy or are caused due to epilepsy should also be treated. Novel targets or the existing targets are needed to be explored for the dual mechanism which can suppress both the disease and the comorbidity. New therapeutic targets such as IDO, nNOS, PAR1, NF-κb are being explored for their role in epilepsy and various comorbidities. This review explores recent therapeutic targets for the treatment of comorbidities associated with epilepsy.

Keywords: Epilepsy; anxiety; cognition; comorbidities; depression; therapeutic targets..

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / metabolism
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / complications
  • Comorbidity
  • Epilepsy / complications
  • Epilepsy / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Antioxidants