Epilepsy and Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation: A Developing Therapeutic Alternative: Preliminary Results from a Literature Review

Abstract

Introduction: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which patients experience focal or generalized seizures not triggered by specific stimuli. Recent findings suggest that connections between inhibitory GABAergic neurons may be impaired, leading to its consideration as a neurodegenerative disease. This opens the possibility of using cell therapy techniques to regenerate neuronal connections as a treatment approach.

Methodology: A search was conducted on PubMed using a Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)-based algorithm: (Epilepsy AND Stem Cells AND Transplantation, Autologous). Included studies were preclinical or clinical investigations on autologous stem cell transplantation. Excluded were theoretical review articles, retrospective studies, publications focused on pathophysiology, diagnostic techniques, or treatments unrelated to the therapy under evaluation.

Results: Out of 28 articles published between 2006 and 2025, 22 were excluded. The main advantages of this therapeutic strategy include low cellular reactivity, the ability to obtain the required cells from the patient's own body, and the avoidance of ethical controversies associated with external sources such as fetal stem cells. One of the commonly used cell sources is bone marrow, and the regenerative effect can be enhanced by adding anticonvulsants such as levetiracetam.

Conclusion: Autologous stem cell transplantation represents a promising and complex therapeutic alternative for epilepsy. Its implementation requires consideration of the molecular mechanisms involved. Recent advances have focused on two main areas: reducing cellular immunogenicity and increasing therapeutic efficacy. However, achieving optimal outcomes depends on addressing factors involved in axonal cytoskeleton stabilization, such as mitochondrial anterograde transport and intracellular signaling pathways including RhoA, PTEN, GSK, JAK/STAT, and DLK.