From the different pathogenesis of epileptogenesis: vitamins as an adjunctive treatment for epilepsy
Weiyi Sun, Yiming Wang, Bo Xiao, Zhaohui Luo
Abstract
Vitamins play an essential role in the maintenance of normal physiological functions of the human body. In recent years, the use of vitamins as an adjunctive treatment for epilepsy has attracted increasing interest academically. There is a substantial body of evidence indicating that vitamin supplementation could contribute to the treatment and prevention of epilepsy. This review discusses the pathogenesis of epilepsy associated with ten vitamins from five perspectives, namely, inflammatory signaling pathways, excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, neuroprotection, and the blood-brain barrier, and explores the relationships between the gut microbiota and vitamins in epileptic disorders with a focus on summarizing the antiepileptic effects of vitamin D and vitamin E. In addition, we discuss the effects of antiseizure medications on vitamins. This review aims to provide a more comprehensive view of the use of vitamins as an adjunctive therapy in epilepsy.