Novel drug may transform epilepsy treatment

Dr Pablo Casillas-Espinosa

by Anne Crawford

Monash University scientists have demonstrated that a novel drug can prevent the development of seizures in an animal model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE), the most common type of epilepsy that develops after a brain injury.

The researchers from the Department of Neuroscience found that the compound Z944 prevented the development of TLE in 80% of animals, and also significantly improved depression and memory and learning problems associated with the disease.

Spotlight on our NHMRC Fellowship winners: Dr Pablo Casillas Espinosa

Dr Pablo Casillas-Espinosa

by Anne Crawford

Dr Pablo Casillas Espinosa. NHMRC Early Career Fellowship: to progress research into a novel therapy for temporal epilepsy.

Temporal epilepsy, a condition characterised by recurrent, unprovoked seizures, is the most common and most difficult-to-treat form of the disease. Of the patients who have it, up to 40% have seizures that don’t respond to any form of treatment. The remainder will improve with medication that stops the seizures but will go back to having them if they stop taking this for any reason. As the disease worsens, all patients will experience behaviourial co-morbidities; depression, anxiety, and learning and memory disorders, which worsen as it progresses.