Treating Immune-Related Epilepsy

Abstract

Purpose of review: This review explores different treatment modalities for immune-mediated epilepsy, including epilepsy caused by autoantibodies as well as epilepsy in the context of systemic autoimmune disease.

Recent findings: Autoimmune epilepsy is an increasingly recognized entity. Conventional treatments for epilepsy, such as antiseizure medications and epilepsy surgery, are less successful in treating epilepsy caused by autoimmune disease. Immunomodulatory therapies such as corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasma exchange are generally more successful in treating immune-mediated epilepsy than conventional epilepsy therapies. Autoimmune epilepsy should be considered as a possible etiology for patients with frequent seizures of unknown etiology. The response to immunotherapies is often promising, particularly in patients with antibodies to neuronal cell surface antigens.

Keywords: Autoimmune epilepsy; Encephalitis; Immunotherapy; Treatment.