Effects of Levetiracetam Compared to Valproate on Cognitive Functions of Patients with Epilepsy

• Published in: Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment Vol. 16; pp. 1945 - 1953
• Main Authors: El Sabaa, Ramy M, Hamdi, Emad, Hamdy, Nermin Aly, Sarhan, Hatem A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01.01.2020; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Ambulatory care facilities; Care and treatment; Classification; Cognitive ability; cognitive function; Comparative analysis; Convulsions & seizures; Epilepsy; Etiracetam; Levetiracetam; Medical research; monotherapy; Original Research; Patients; Seizures; Seizures (Medicine); Sodium; Sodium valproate; valproate; Valproic acid; Wisconsin; Egypt; United States > US; cognitive function; epilepsy; valproate; monotherapy; levetiracetam
• ISSN: 1176-6328; 1178-2021; 1178-2021
• DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S256117

This study compared the effect of levetiracetam (LEV) as monotherapy to sodium valproate (VPA) as monotherapy on cognitive functions in patients with epilepsy. This was a comparative prospective study on 50 patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy started on antiseizure medications. Patients were selected from the neurology-outpatient clinics at Minia University Hospital, Minia, Egypt. They were divided into two groups: group treated with LEV and group treated with VPA. All patients were subjected to cognitive function assessment using reaction-time tests, trail-making tests, and Wisconsin card-sorting test before treatment and 3 months after treatment. Both groups of patients showed reduction in seizure frequency. However, patients on LEV showed significant improvement in measured cognitive functions 3 months after starting treatment, while patients in the VPA group showed significant impairment in measured cognitive functions 3 months after starting treatment. Both groups of patients showed reduction in seizure frequency. However, patients on LEV showed significant improvement in measured cognitive functions 3 months after starting treatment, while patients in the VPA group showed significant impairment in measured cognitive functions 3 months after starting treatment.