Levetiracetam has no acute effects on brain gamma-aminobutyric acid levels.
OBJECTIVE
The mechanism of action of levetiracetam (LEV), an antiepileptic drug, is related to a novel binding site, SV2, but LEV acts on GABA-A receptors. The objective of the study described here was to determine if LEV modulates brain GABA in vivo.


METHODS
Concentrations of cerebral GABA and serum LEV were obtained in seven healthy individuals using 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy at baseline and 3 and 6 hours following oral administration of 1 g of LEV.


RESULTS
Brain cerebral GABA acutely concentrations did not change from baseline.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that LEV does not increase human cerebral GABA concentrations acutely in healthy individuals.
Kuzniecky
R
R
NYU Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. Ruben.kuzniecky@med.nyu.edu
Pan
J
J
Burns
A
A
Devinsky
O
O
Hetherington
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012016:Reference Values; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D003401:Creatine; D010889:Piracetam