Applications of Nanotechnology in Epilepsy

Epilepsy is considered as one of the most serious disorders. Epilepsy is as a chronic alteration of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by an imbalance in neuronal electrical activity that gives rise to different recurrent and unpredictable seizure events that, depending on the severity, can lead to neuronal death of certain brain areas. The first-line treatment for epilepsy is antiepileptic drugs. Epilepsy consists of more than 40 clinical syndromes affecting 40 million people worldwide. Approximately 25% of individuals receiving antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have inadequate seizure control; however, 80% of individuals with medication-resistant epilepsy might be cured through surgery if seizure focus could be localized precisely. Neurosurgical operations for epilepsy can be palliative, reducing the frequency or severity of seizures; for some patients, an operation can be curative. Specific classes of nanoparticles (NPs) that cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB) can concentrate exclusively on epileptogenic foci. The selection of an appropriate nanocarrier system is a prerequisite for effective delivery of drug to CNS across BBB. Quantitative EEG (qEEG) when combined with a standardized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows one to localize epileptic foci and evaluate the real-time effects of an epileptic focus on different brain regions. Noninvasive laser-induced photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is an emerging imaging modality that has the potential to image the dynamic function of the brain owing to its unique ability to image biological tissues with high optical contrast and ultrasound resolution. Developments in the fields of neural engineering, material science, neuroinformatics and modeling, pharmacogenomics, and drug discovery will be increasingly important. Neurosurgeons and neurologists will be able to consider individualized therapies for patients and choose the safest and most effective treatment.