The abnormal expression and/or dysfunction of efflux transporters, particularly ABC transporters, might contribute to certain cases of refractory epilepsy.
The understanding of properties of these ABC transporters can offer new tools for better selection of more effective preventive or therapeutic strategies and avoid the invasive surgical treatments for RE.
The ABC transporters, particularly P-glycoprotein, are known to play a role in antiepileptic drug extrusion, but are not by themselves sufficient to fully explain the phenomenon of drug-resistant epilepsy.