Current antiepileptic treatments are aimed at stopping or preventing seizures rather than curing epilepsy. Here, we discuss how recent advances in genetics and neurophysiological research may not only help us better understand the pathophysiology of different epilepsies, but may also drive the development of novel approaches, including treatments that can modify the underlying disease. Although these new therapeutic strategies are still in the very early stages, rapid progress in this direction means that the ability to stop or even to reverse changes caused by epileptogenesis may not be that far away.
Keywords: Anticonvulsant; Antiepileptic drugs; Chemogenetics; Closed-loop system; Epilepsy; Gene therapy; Interneurons; Optogenetics.
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