Optogenetic control of astrocytes: is it possible to treat astrocyte-related epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects around 1% of the population worldwide. The two main therapies, pharmacology and the electrical stimulation, both have some shortcomings. For instance, pharmacological therapy is frequently accompanied by side effects, and current anticonvulsive drugs fail to be effective to around a third of patients. These patients could suffer astrocyte-related epilepsy, as increasing evidence indicates that dysfunctions of astrocytes can result in epilepsy. However, epilepsy drugs that affect astrocytes are not available currently. Although electrical stimulation has benefited many patients, the electrode stimulates unselective neurons or circuits. All these need to develop new strategies for improving the life of the patients. As channelrhodopsins (ChRs) were discovered, a novel method referred to as "optogenetics" was developed. It has advantages over electrical stimulation of being less-invasiveness and allowing spatiotemporally stimulation. Recently, a number of experiments have explored the treatments for epilepsy with optogenetic control of neurons. Here, we discuss the possibility that an optogenetic approach could be used to control the release of gliotransmitters and improve astrocyte function such as glutamate and K(+) uptake, and thereby offer a potential strategy to investigate and treat astrocyte-related epilepsy.