Prevention and treatment of post-traumatic epilepsy

Abstract

Post-traumatic epilepsy is reported after 2–5% of closed head injuries but up to 50% or more following penetrating head injury. Despite several studies, no drug strategy has been able, to date, to quench the biochemical events leading to epileptogenesis. One possibility is that treatment with available antiepileptic drugs has been implemented too late, and thus, ultra-early treatment might still be able to stop the neurochemical epileptogenic cascade dead in its tracks. However, currently drug therapy should be instituted only after the first late unprovoked seizure.

Keywords::

• antiepileptic drugs
• epileptogenesis
• neuroprotection
• post-traumatic epilepsy
• prophylaxis