title: Anxiolytic effects of the novel anti-epileptic drug levetiracetam in the elevated plus-maze test in the rat.
abstract: There is clinical evidence of anxiolytic action of several anti-epileptic drugs. We evaluated the effects of levetiracetam (Keppra), a new generation anti-epileptic drug, in the plus-maze animal test for anxiolytic activity. Levetiracetam at 17 and 54 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.) was without effect when tested in naive rats. A modified version of the test was subsequently used in which open-arm exploration was decreased by exposure of the rats to a four-open-arm maze 24 h prior to drug treatment and testing. Under these conditions of enhanced anxiety, levetiracetam, 5.4 to 54 mg/kg, dose-dependently increased open-arm exploration. Chlordiazepoxide 5 mg/kg had similar effects although buspirone 0.1 to 1.0 mg/kg was inactive. The results with levetiracetam substantiate similar findings of its anxiolytic actions against chlordiazepoxide withdrawal-induced anxiety in mice and in a modified Vogel test in rats and support a potential clinical use of this drug in anxiety states.
authors.affiliation: UCB S.A., Pharma Sector, Chemin du Foriest, B-1420 Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium.
authors.forename: Alma J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gower
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Falter
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lamberty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002065:Buspirone / Q000494:pharmacology; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide; D002065:Buspirone; D010889:Piracetam