Epigenetics in epilepsy.

ABSTRACT

Epilepsy affects over 50 million individuals globally, making it the most prevalent chronic and serious neurological condition. A precise therapeutic strategy is complicated by poor understanding of the pathological changes in epilepsy thus, 30% of TLE patients are resistant to drug therapy. In the brain, epigenetic processes translate information from transient cellular impulses and adjustments in neuronal activity into long-lasting impacts on gene expression. Research suggests that epigenetic processes can be manipulated in the future to treat or prevent epilepsy as epigenetics has been shown to have a profound influence on how genes are expressed in epilepsy. As well as being potential biomarkers for epilepsy diagnosis, epigenetic changes can also be used as prognostic indicators of treatment response. In this chapter, we review the most recent findings in several molecular pathways linked with the pathogenesis of TLE that are controlled by epigenetic mechanisms highlighting their potential utility as biomarkers for upcoming treatment strategies.