Treating Immune-Related Epilepsy

AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review explores different treatment modalities for immune-mediated epilepsy, including epilepsy caused by autoantibodies as well as epilepsy in the context of systemic autoimmune disease.Recent FindingsAutoimmune epilepsy is an increasingly recognized entity. Conventional treatments for epilepsy, such as antiseizure medications and epilepsy surgery, are less successful in treating epilepsy caused by autoimmune disease. Immunomodulatory therapies such as corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasma exchange are generally more successful in treating immune-mediated epilepsy than conventional epilepsy therapies.SummaryAutoimmune epilepsy should be considered as a possible etiology for patients with frequent seizures of unknown etiology. The response to immunotherapies is often promising, particularly in patients with antibodies to neuronal cell surface antigens.
Source: Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research