Antiepileptic drugs and brain development

Epilepsy, the most common neurological disorder in young humans, has its highest incidence during the first year of life. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) which are used to treat seizures in infants, children and pregnant women target ion channels, neurotransmitters and second messenger systems in the brain. The same targets regulate brain processes essential both for propagation of seizures and for brain development, learning, memory and emotional behavior. Here we review adverse effects of AEDs in the developing mammalian brain. In addition, we discuss mechanisms explaining adverse effects of AEDs in the developing mammalian brain including interference with cell proliferation and migration, neurogenesis, axonal. arborization, synaptogenesis, synaptic plasticity and physiological apoptotic cell death. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.