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Review
. 2018 May 15;15(1):144.
doi: 10.1186/s12974-018-1192-7.

The role of inflammation in the development of epilepsy

Amna Rana  1 , Alberto E Musto  2
Affiliations
Review

The role of inflammation in the development of epilepsy

Amna Rana et al. J Neuroinflammation. .

Abstract

Epilepsy, a neurological disease characterized by recurrent seizures, is often associated with a history of previous lesions in the nervous system. Impaired regulation of the activation and resolution of inflammatory cells and molecules in the injured neuronal tissue is a critical factor to the development of epilepsy. However, it is still unclear as to how that unbalanced regulation of inflammation contributes to epilepsy. Therefore, one of the goals in epilepsy research is to identify and elucidate the interconnected inflammatory pathways in systemic and neurological disorders that may further develop epilepsy progression. In this paper, inflammatory molecules, in neurological and systemic disorders (rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's, Type I Diabetes, etc.) that could contribute to epilepsy development, are reviewed.Understanding the neurobiology of inflammation in epileptogenesis will contribute to the development of new biomarkers for better screening of patients at risk for epilepsy and new therapeutic targets for both prophylaxis and treatment of epilepsy.

Keywords: Blood–brain barrier (BBB) breakdown; Epileptogenesis; Inflammation; Neurological disorders; Systemic inflammatory disorders.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sources and targets of unregulated and overlapped components of inflammation in epileptogenesis. Brain injury induces central inflammation and aberrant neuronal connectivity within the hippocampus. Systemic inflammatory disorders generate peripheral inflammation which can further contribute to the buildup of inflammatory mediators. Peripheral and central inflammation allow for the breakdown of the blood–brain barrier due to the upregulation of inflammatory mediators. BBB breakdown permits leukocyte infiltration which generates neuronal hyper-excitability and further upregulates inflammatory mediators. Unregulated peripheral and central inflammation and breakdown of the blood–brain barrier lead to morphological synaptic changes within the hippocampus and ultimately, the development of epilepsy
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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