Levetiracetam and Cognition

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Among the drugs tested, only levetiracetam (LEV) effectively reduced abnormal spike activity detected by electroencephalography. Chronic treatment with LEV also reversed hippocampal remodeling, behavioral abnormalities, synaptic dysfunction, and deficits in learning and memory in hAPP mice.[/size]

Levetiracetam suppresses neuronal network dysfunction and reverses synaptic and cognitive deficits in an Alzheimer's disease model

 

Seventeen patients with aMCI and seventeen healthy age-matched control subjects completed a baseline assessment after which they participated in two treatment phases, separated by a washout period of 4 weeks. Control subjects were given placebo during both treatment phases (single-blind) while patients with aMCI were given placebo during one treatment phase and low-dose levetiracetam (125 mg BID) during the second treatment phase, with order of treatment counterbalanced (randomized, double-blind). After 2 weeks in each treatment phase, participants completed a high-resolution fMRI scan while performing a cognitive task designed to assess memory errors attributable to DG/CA3 dysfunction. Treatment with low-dose levetiracetam significantly reduced that excess activity, such that hippocampal activation in patients on drug did not differ from age-matched control subjects. Additionally, LEV treatment significantly improved three-choice recognition performance. Memory errors attributable to DG/CA3 dysfunction, which differed between the groups when aMCI subjects were on placebo, were significantly reduced by levetiracetam treatment.

Reduction of Hippocampal Hyperactivity Improves Cognition in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment [PDF]

 

One hundred seventeen patients met the inclusion criteria; 44 patients used no AED, 35 were on monotherapy with a newer AED (all levetiracetam), and 38 were on monotherapy with an older AED (valproic acid or phenytoin). Patients on older and newer AEDs performed equally well as patients not on an AED, and patients on levetiracetam performed even better on verbal memory tests than patients not on an AED. Post-hoc analyses revealed that within the group using older AEDs, patients on valproic acid performed better than patients on phenytoin.

Levetiracetam improves verbal memory in high-grade glioma patients

 

Our data suggest LEV is associated with acceleration of background EEG frequencies and improved cognitive function. Change in frequency band power could predict improvement in several cognitive domains across LEV therapy.

Effect of levetiracetam monotherapy on background EEG activity and cognition in drug-naïve epilepsy patients

 

In children, adjunctive levetiracetam was associated with long-term stability in cognitive functioning and improvement in emotional/behavioral functioning over time

A long-term open-label extension study assessing cognition and behavior, tolerability, safety, and efficacy of adjunctive levetiracetam in children aged 4 to 16 years with partial-onset seizures

 

As an add-on therapy, LEV seems to improve verbal fluency in patients with partial epilepsy and disfluent speech. This effect seems unrelated to the antiepileptic activity of the drug. A placebo-controlled trial of LEV in patients with this kind of verbal disfluency is warranted.

Disfluent speech in patients with partial epilepsy: beneficial effect of levetiracetam

 

I'll add more if I find more later.