Treatment options for post-traumatic epilepsy: an update on clinical and translational aspects

Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) accounts for 10% to 20% of all symptomatic epilepsies and 5% of all forms of epilepsy, and drug resistance is reported in up to 45% of cases.

This is a focused narrative review that discusses the available data on the current and new PTE treatments, giving particular attention to the last 10 years.

Despite the disappointing results of many antiseizure medications (ASMs) in preventing epileptogenicity, it is still unclear whether the early intervention could lead to different clinical phenotypes in terms, for example, of seizure severity, drug resistance and comorbidity patterns. The same applies to compounds targeting neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and neurotransmission modulation. The heterogeneity of etiologies leading to PTE has limited the investigation and implementation of specific interventions. New studies must focus on identifying common pathways and mechanisms shared by different etiological processes, identifying biomarkers, and validating animal models of epileptogenesis concerning PTE. Drug repurposing research will facilitate rapid translation into clinical research. Multitarget drug combinations will also receive increasing attention. In terms of non-pharmacological treatments, Vagus Nerve Stimulation seems to be a good option, while epilepsy surgery and Deep Brain Stimulation deserve further attention.