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Related Concept Videos

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
Various factors can trigger epilepsy, including genetic factors, brain damage, metabolic causes, and unknown etiology. Diagnosis of epilepsy involves electroencephalography (EEG), which...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists01:14

Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists

Glutamate is a fundamental neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, playing a vital role in neuronal communication and various cognitive processes. Glutamate stands as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its presence is crucial for the communication between neurons, underpinning essential processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity. These functions are vital for higher-order cognitive processes, including learning and memory. The...
Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators01:18

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

γ-aminobutyric acid or GABA, plays a pivotal role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA pathway potentiators, also known as GABAergic drugs, are a class of pharmaceutical agents designed to enhance the functioning of the GABAergic system. These medications primarily treat epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.
The key GABA pathway potentiators used in epilepsy management are as follows.
Benzodiazepines are a well-known class of drugs used for their...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers01:17

Antiepileptic Drugs: Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blockers, a class of antiepileptic drugs, regulate the flow of calcium ions within neurons.
Calcium channel blockers exert their antiepileptic effects by targeting T-type calcium channels, which are integral to transmitting nerve signals in the central nervous system. These channels allow the passage of calcium ions, which are vital for neuronal communication. By inhibiting T-type calcium channels, calcium channel blockers effectively reduce the release of neurotransmitters and...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers01:08

Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers

Antiepileptic drugs are specialized medications that prevent seizures in individuals diagnosed with epilepsy. These drugs primarily function by blocking the movement of sodium ions through channels in the neuronal membrane, inhibiting the repetitive firing of action potentials often associated with seizures.
Sodium channel blockers modulate ion channels, particularly voltage-gated sodium channels. They block only sodium ion movement.
Among the most commonly prescribed antiepileptic drugs are...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
07:01

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice

Published on: May 16, 2019

[Drug-resistant epilepsy].

Karl O Nakken1, Erik Taubøll

  • 1Enhet for voksenepilepsi, Epilepsisenteret - SSE, Nevrologisk avdeling, Nevroklinikken, Oslo universitetssykehus, Rikshospitalet, 0027 Oslo, Norway. karl.otto.nakken@epilepsy.no

Tidsskrift for Den Norske Laegeforening : Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin, Ny Raekke
|October 14, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Despite new antiepileptic drugs, many epilepsy patients remain drug-resistant. Two main hypotheses, transporter and target mechanisms, attempt to explain this refractoriness, though neither is fully established.

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Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
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Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

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Non-restraining EEG Radiotelemetry: Epidural and Deep Intracerebral Stereotaxic EEG Electrode Placement
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Non-restraining EEG Radiotelemetry: Epidural and Deep Intracerebral Stereotaxic EEG Electrode Placement

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
07:01

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice

Published on: May 16, 2019

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
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Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Published on: September 20, 2024

Non-restraining EEG Radiotelemetry: Epidural and Deep Intracerebral Stereotaxic EEG Electrode Placement
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Published on: June 25, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pharmacology
  • Epileptology

Context:

  • Approximately one-third of epilepsy patients exhibit drug-resistant seizures, persisting despite numerous antiepileptic drug advancements.
  • Understanding the mechanisms of drug resistance is crucial for improving treatment outcomes in refractory epilepsy.

Purpose:

  • To explore prevailing hypotheses explaining drug-resistant epilepsy.
  • To review current understanding and identify gaps in knowledge regarding pharmacoresistance in epilepsy.

Summary:

  • Two primary hypotheses for drug-resistant epilepsy are discussed: the transporter hypothesis (over-expression of drug efflux proteins like P-glycoprotein) and the target hypothesis (altered receptor or ion channel function in the epileptic focus).
  • Current evidence suggests these hypotheses, while informative, have limitations, and further research is needed to fully elucidate the causes of epilepsy pharmacoresistance.
  • Lack of international consensus on defining drug-resistant epilepsy complicates research and clinical practice.

Impact:

  • Highlights the need for continued research into the complex mechanisms underlying epilepsy drug resistance.
  • Emphasizes the importance of timely referral to specialized epilepsy centers for patients with refractory seizures to explore non-pharmacological treatment options.