title: Discontinuation of phenobarbital in children: effects on neurocognitive behavior.
abstract: Neurocognitive performances were evaluated in 9 children with different types of epilepsy prior to and at least 6 months after discontinuation of phenobarbital. The patients treated with phenobarbital monotherapy were seizure free for at least 2 years, without electro-encephalographic anomalies for at least 1 year. Results indicated that phenobarbital at low therapeutic doses causes attentional and memory deficits, reversible after therapy discontinuation. Further research utilizing the same design is needed on larger samples in order to confirm our results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neurology, Istituto Nazionale Neurologico, Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Riva
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devoti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010634:Phenobarbital