Epilepsy and Programmed Cell Death

Seo, Dae Won

Abstract

Epilepsy is one of the most common episodic neurological diseases characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. The seizures occur by synchronization of a neuronal network, which may cause disturbances in intracellular ion homeostasis, neuronal excitability, network remodeling, and neuronal death. The neuronal death following epileptic seizures results from the execution of cellular programs that are similar to those in developmentally programmed cell death. Research into cell death after seizures has identified the molecular machinery of apoptosis including the caspases and bcl-2 family proteins. The author reviews the clinical experimental evidences of programmed death pathway function in epileptic seizures. Four neuronal death pathways after epileptic seizures are proposed; non-programmed necrotic, programmed necrotic, programmed apoptotic extrinsic, and programmed apoptotic intrinsic pathways. Epileptogenesis is speculated based on the programmed pathways. Research on seizure-induced neuronal damage has developed considerably in recent years and that may open new ways to improve neuroprotective and antiepileptic treatments for patients with epilepsy.