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Anticonvulsant Drugs, Cognitive Function, and Behavior
Author(s) -
Trimble Michael R.,
Thompson Pamela J.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1983.tb04644.x
Subject(s) - carbamazepine , clobazam , anticonvulsant , phenytoin , epilepsy , cognition , medicine , pharmacology , psychology , anesthesia , lamotrigine , effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance , psychiatry
Summary: Healthy volunteers as well as patients wih epilepsy were studied for 2 weeks in a double‐blind crossover design to determine the effect of anticonvulsant drugs on cognitive function and behavior. The healthy volunteers experienced significant deficits in performance with the four drugs examined, phenytoin, carbamazepine, sodium valproate, and clobazam. The most widespread changes were seen with phenytoin; carbamazepine, sodium valproate, and clobazam did not interfere with tests of memory function. The results of the patients' studies showed that (1) when anticonvulsants are reduced, patients receiving polytherapy improve their cognitive function; (2) patients with high serum levels of anticonvulsant drugs demonstrated more cognitive impairment than those with low levels; (3) when carbamazepine is substituted for another anticonvulsant, cognitive function is improved; and (4) in patients receiving monotherapy, high serum levels are linked to greater cognitive impairment than lower levels and the profile of changes differs between the drugs.