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Related Concept Videos

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview

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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...
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Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists01:14

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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...
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Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators01:18

Antiepileptic Drugs: GABAergic Pathway Potentiators

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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...
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Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

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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...
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Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Modulators of Neurotransmitter Release Mediated by SV2A Protein

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Antiepileptic drugs, such as levetiracetam (Keppra) and brivaracetam (Briviact), have emerged as crucial tools in managing epilepsy. These medications exert their therapeutic effects by targeting the synaptic vesicle protein SV2A, a transmembrane glycoprotein primarily found in the brain.
SV2A is a transmembrane glycoprotein located predominantly in the brain, modulating the release of neurotransmitters for neuronal communication. Both levetiracetam and brivaracetam exhibit a high affinity for...
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Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers01:08

Antiepileptic Drugs: Sodium Channel Blockers

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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: Feb 21, 2026

Electrophoretic Delivery of γ-aminobutyric Acid GABA into Epileptic Focus Prevents Seizures in Mice
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Selecting Rational Drug Combinations in Epilepsy.

Bassel Abou-Khalil1

  • 1Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA. bassel.abou-khalil@Vanderbilt.Edu.

CNS Drugs
|October 5, 2017
PubMed
Summary

When initial epilepsy monotherapy fails, combination antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy may be considered. Combining AEDs with different mechanisms of action, like lamotrigine and valproate, shows synergistic efficacy for better seizure control.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pharmacology
  • Epilepsy Research

Background:

  • Monotherapy is the standard initial treatment for epilepsy.
  • Failure of the first antiepileptic drug (AED) necessitates exploring alternative treatment strategies.
  • Combination therapy presents a viable option when monotherapy is ineffective.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of antiepileptic drug (AED) combination therapy.
  • To understand the role of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions in AED combinations.
  • To identify synergistic AED combinations for improved epilepsy management.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing evidence on AED combination therapies.
  • Analysis of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions between AEDs.

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  • Examination of studies reporting synergistic effects of AED combinations.

    • Main Results:

    • Combinations of AEDs with different mechanisms of action are more effective than those with similar mechanisms.
    • The combination of lamotrigine and valproate demonstrates synergistic efficacy.
    • Limited data exist to support other synergistic AED combinations.

    Conclusions:

    • AED combination therapy is a crucial consideration after monotherapy failure.
    • Selecting AEDs with distinct mechanisms of action is key for successful combination therapy.
    • Further research is needed to identify and validate additional synergistic AED combinations.