microRNA-146a: A Biomarker for Epileptogenesis, Epilepsy Prognosis, and Treatment Resistance

Abstract

Recently, more attention has been paid to identifying biomarkers for epilepsy to direct a more personalized treatment strategy, especially for patients who suffer from drug-resistant epilepsy which carries a much poorer prognosis. microRNA has emerged as an important and diverse type of biomarker that can participate in metabolic and cellular processes of the disease and, importantly, can be detected in patient’s serum. In this short review, we compile state-of-the-art evidence regarding miRNA-146a, a novel biomarker that shows high potential for studying epileptogenesis, monitoring disease progression, evaluating treatment response, and may even function as a therapeutic target given its role in the process of neuroinflammation.