Treatment of refractory epilepsy with natalizumab in a patient with multiple sclerosis. Case report

Background  

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system and therapeutic inhibition of leukocyte migration with natalizumab, an anti-alpha4 integrin antibody, is highly effective in patients with MS. Recent studies performed in experimental animal models with relevance to human disease suggested a key role for blood-brain barrier damage and leukocyte trafficking mechanisms also in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. In addition, vascular alterations and increased leukocyte accumulation into the brain were recently documented in patients with refractory epilepsy independently on the disease etiology.