Esper A. Cavalheiro – författare

Although more than 10 new antiepileptic drugs have been developed in the past decade, epilepsy remains resistant to drug therapy in about one third of patients, many of whom struggle with the disease their entire lives. Managing these patients is a challenge and requires a structured multidisciplinary approach. The book includes chapters on all issues related to pharmacoresistance in epilepsy and describes recent developments in the pathogenesis and treatment of this disorder. It addresses abnormalities in inhibitory mechanisms, epilepsy-related changes to the immune system, development of pharmacoresistance caused by chronic exposure to antiepileptic drugs, and novel therapeutic strategies for preventing or slowing down the progression of the disease.

This new edition of Pharmacoresistance in Epilepsy addresses all issues relating to drug-resistance in epilepsy, including studies in patients as well in experimental models and presents the basis for an understanding of recent developments in the pathogenesis and treatment of this condition. Important issues associated with drug-resistant epilepsy are reviewed and updated, such as abnormalities in inhibitory mechanisms, neurotoxicity and changes the immune system associated with this disorder, and the development of drug-resistance as consequence of chronic exposure to antiseizure-medications. Considering that a major obstacle is that epilepsy associated with drug-resistance cannot be controlled with the traditional antiseizure medications, specific chapters describe therapeutic strategies to prevent or reduce the progression of the disease with complementary medical therapies, such as transcranial focal stimulation to promote neuroprotection. Pharmacoresistance in Epilepsy is a valuable resource for anyone working in the field, whether studying epilepsy in the lab or treating it in an office.