Neuroprotective agents and modulation of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE) is a chronic condition characterized by epileptic seizures originating mainly in temporal lobe areas. Epileptogenesis is a process in which a central nervous system injury can lead surviving neuronal populations to generate abnormal, synchronous and recurrent epileptiform discharges producing focal or generalized seizures. Hipocampal sclerosis, a massive cell death in the hippocampal formation and in the other regions of temporal lobe, is considered as hallmark of TLE. Despite the numerous antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) commercially available, about 30-40% of patients remain with seizures refractory to pharmacological treatment. In addition, there is no drug with significant efficacy to modify the epileptogenesis process. In this review we present some data regarding the neuroprotective effect of some adenosinergic agents, erythropoietin and carisbamate regarding the disease- and epileptogenesis-modifying effect.