Lacosamide may improve cognition in patients with focal epilepsy: EpiTrack to compare cognitive side effects of lacosamide and carbamazepine

Claudio Liguori; Francesca Izzi; Natalia Manfredi; Nicola Biagio Mercuri; Fabio Placidi

Epilepsy and Behavior Case Reports (Jan 2018)

Lacosamide may improve cognition in patients with focal epilepsy: EpiTrack to compare cognitive side effects of lacosamide and carbamazepine

Claudio Liguori,
Francesca Izzi,
Natalia Manfredi,
Nicola Biagio Mercuri,
Fabio Placidi

Affiliations

Claudio Liguori: Epilepsy Centre, Neurophysiopathology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy; Corresponding author at: Epilepsy Centre, Neurophysiopathology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Francesca Izzi: Epilepsy Centre, Neurophysiopathology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
Natalia Manfredi: Epilepsy Centre, Neurophysiopathology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
Nicola Biagio Mercuri: Epilepsy Centre, Neurophysiopathology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Fabio Placidi: Epilepsy Centre, Neurophysiopathology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10
pp. 35 – 37

Abstract

Read online

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a first generation anti-seizure drug, considered as first choice therapy in focal epilepsy but associated with cognitive side effects. Lacosamide (LCM) is a third-generation anti-seizure drug approved for treating focal epilepsy. This case series documented the comparable efficacy of LCM and CBZ as first add on treatments in patients affected by uncontrolled focal seizures. LCM showed an increase in EpiTrack scores, which measure cognitive abilities, at follow-up compared to CBZ. This preliminary data may represent the basis for future prospective studies aimed at comparing the long-term cognitive side effects of LCM and CBZ. Keywords: Lacosamide, Carbamazepine, Cognition, EpiTrack, Focal epilepsy

Published in Epilepsy and Behavior Case Reports

ISSN: 2213-3232 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/epilepsy-and-behavior-case-reports/

About the journal