Prevention of epilepsy in humans - truth or myth? The experience from Sturge-Weber syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease, usually decreasing the quality of life and often resulting in other comorbidities e.g. cognitive impairment in children. Despite the recent discovery of new antiepileptic drugs, roughly one in three patients suffers from drug-resistant seizures. Therefore, the prevention of epilepsy is becoming one of the most important challenges in medicine. Is it, however, in fact possible to prevent epilepsy? CLINICAL REFLECTIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: We present the results of preventive antiepileptic treatment in children with Sturge-Weber syndrome and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex as examples of the possible prevention of epilepsy and epilepsy-associated cognitive impairment in children.