What Causes Seizures in Neurocysticercosis?
Teresa Julieta Simões Steyn1, Amalia Naita Awala1, Anja de Lange1
1Division of Cell Biology, Department of Human Biology, Neuroscience Institute and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
Abstract:
Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is the most prevalent parasitic infection of the central nervous system. It is caused by the presence of larvae of the cestode Taenia solium in the brain. The most common symptom of NCC is seizures, and it is widely considered the world's leading cause of preventable epilepsy. Despite the prevalence and impact of NCC, a thorough, mechanistic understanding of seizure generation is still lacking. In this review, we address the question "What causes seizures in NCC?" by summarizing and discussing the major theories that seek to explain the seizurogenic and epileptogenic processes in this disorder. In addition, we highlight the potential for recent advances in disease modeling to help accelerate progress in this area.
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