Update on pharmacogenetics in epilepsy: a brief review

Recent developments in the pharmacogenetics of antiepileptic drugs provide new prospects for predicting the efficacy of treatment and potential side-effects. Epilepsy is a common, serious, and treatable neurological disorder, yet current treatment is limited by high rates of adverse drug reactions and lack of complete seizure control in a significant proportion of patients. The disorder is especially suitable for pharmacogenetic investigation because treatment response can be quantified and side-effects can be assessed with validated measures. Additionally, there is substantial knowledge of the pharmacodynamics and kinetics of antiepileptic drugs, and some candidate genes implicated in the disorder have been identified. However, recent studies of the association of particular genes and their genetic variants with seizure control and adverse drug reactions have not provided unifying conclusions. This article reviews the published work and summarises the state of research in this area. Future directions for research and the application of this technology to the clinical practice of individualising treatment for epilepsy are discussed.