IEC 2023 | Neuroprotective agents to mitigate the long-term consequences of prolonged seizures

Aurelie Hanin, PharmD, PhD, Yale University, New Haven, CT, speaks on the use of therapeutics to alleviate the long-term consequences of prolonged status epilepticus (SE). During SE, excitotoxicity and activation of inflammatory pathways can cause neuronal damage, resulting in long-term deficits that encompass cognitive, psychological, and physical impairments. It is important to understand the underlying mechanisms of this condition to consider agents that protect against this. Dr Hanin discusses the use of simvastatin to mitigate heightened cholesterol in the brains of SE patients, as well as immunotherapies to block damaging cytokine release. The evidence for the use of these agents remains preliminary and contradictory, and a better understanding of a causal relationship between biomarkers and long-term consequences is needed to select drug targets. This interview took place at the International Epilepsy Congress (IEC) 2023 in Dublin, Ireland.

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