Evolving targets for anti-epileptic drug discovery

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects almost 70 million people worldwide of all socioeconomic groups. The currently available medications aim to restore the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters by acting on ion channels, receptors, transporters, and enzymes, thus providing symptomatic relief. Though most of the patients receive a lasting remission however, 30% of patients are still pharmacoresistant. The incidence of adverse effects and associated comorbidities are also common. To overcome these challenges, researchers are focusing on the development of drugs based on novel targets and signaling cascades. This review summarizes several experimental findings that could be explored to identify potential targets for anti-epileptic drug discovery.