Anticonvulsant serum levels: relationship to impairments of cognitive functioning.

Abstract

SUMMARY Twenty-eight patients with epilepsy were seen on two occasions at an interval of three months. On one session anticonvulsant serum levels were high and on the other session the serum levels were lower. On each of the two sessions patients performed a series of psychological tests and had a blood sample taken for the analysis of anticonvulsant serum concentrations. Seizure frequency in the previous three months was documented and several patients had an EEG recording made. Deficits in psychological test performance were found at high serum concentrations. Furthermore, lower serum level concentrations did not appear to be accompanied by worsened seizure control.

Calcium channels participate in the induction ofStatus epilepticus by kainate in rats

“…We are going toward minimization of the active dose of a potent antiepileptic compound. This is rather important, especially when considering that most clinically used antiepileptics evoke undesirable side effects when their plasma concentrations have been exceeded [8]. Our experiments showed the same range of nimotope effective doses under conditions of pentylenetetrazol-and picrotoxin-induced acute generalized convulsions and picrotoxin-induced kindling.…”

Effect of Clonazepam on Brain Development of Mice

“…difference in swimming speed between ani mals given the two doses of CZP and the control group. In contrast, similar studies have been used to demonstrate adverse ef fects of phenytoin, phénobarbital, and dipro pyl acetate [10,14,15]. This suggests that CZP may be relatively free of adverse effects on brain development, especially on the cer ebellum of young animals.…”

Anticonvulsant Activity of PNU‐151774E1 in the Amygdala Kindled Model of Complex Partial Seizures

“…Furthermore, the effective doses were well below those producing psychomotor impairment (8). The differences between therapeutic and active doses in various models are important, especially as clinically used AEDs develop undesirable side effects, in particular when exceeding therapeutic plasma concentrations (e.g., 28). For example, both LTG (29) and PHT (30) have been shown to impair cognition, and this impairment is related to their concentrations in the plasma.…”