Introduction: Epilepsy affects over 65 million people worldwide, and despite the numerous therapies that are currently available for the symptomatic management of chronic seizures, a substantial proportion of the population has not achieved adequate seizure control. Developing more effective and better-tolerated therapies will benefit patients worldwide. Areas covered: This article will discuss the relevant preclinical models that have been instrumental to the development of over 20 antiseizure drugs (ASDs) currently on the market today. While there have been meaningful therapies already developed over the last several decades, this article will highlight remaining areas of unmet medical need. Innovative models of pharmacoresistant epilepsy may advance therapies for patients who currently do not attain sufficient seizure control in the absence of adverse effects. There also remains a need to identify improved therapies for special patient populations, including the very young and old. Expert opinion: ASD development will still find utility in the established models that have been instrumental to the identification of impactful therapies. However, there should now be greater emphasis to implement those models in young and aged rodents to advance novel therapies for patients who are still in need of better tolerated or more effective therapies, such as pediatric and elderly patients.
Keywords: Maximal electroshock test; corneal kindling; geriatric epilepsy; lamotrigine; pediatric epilepsy; pharmacoresistant epilepsy.