Auditory event related potentials in patients with epilepsy on sodium valproate monotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
The effects of antiepileptic drugs on event related potentials (ERPs) have been studied, but with contradictory results. In this study we examine the effect of sodium valproate (VPA) on ERPs in patients with epilepsy.


METHODS
Auditory event related potentials were recorded in 40 patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy, 20 on monotherapy with sodium valproate (VPA), 20 on monotherapy with carbamazepine and 20 age and sex matched controls. All subjects performed a simple auditory discrimination task in which a target tone was presented on 20% of the trials.


RESULTS
Mean P3 latency of the VPA group was significantly prolonged but not in carbamazepine group and healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that VPA monotherapy has an effect on P300 latency in patients with epilepsy. This difference might be attributed to effects of treatment with VPA and may clarify in the future the mechanism of P300.
Panagopoulos
G R
GR
Department of Neurology, Athens General Hospital, Greece.
Thomaides
T
T
Tagaris
G
G
Karageorgiou
C L
CL
D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014635:Valproic Acid