Prospects for novel antiepileptic drugs

The currently available antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) provide a satisfactory level of seizure control in up to 70% of patients with epilepsy. The rational use of these drugs implies a precise syndromic diagnosis and a good familiarity with the clinical pharmacology and tolerability of the AEDs. Significant advances in drug tolerability have occurred in the last 15 years with the development of newer antiepileptic agents that are targeted to cellular epileptogenic mechanisms and have fewer side effects. As a result of integrated molecular and neurophysiological research strategies, further advances in the pharmacological treatment of epilepsy may lead to the design of more selectively tailored AEDs, which will reduce the proportion of drug refractory patients and counteract the development of the epileptogenic process.