Levetiracetam for managing neurologic and psychiatric disorders.
OBJECTIVE
The role of levetiracetam in different epileptic, nonepileptic, neurologic, and psychiatric disorders is discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
Levetiracetam, an antiepileptic drug (AED), was first approved as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial epilepsy in adults. It is currently being used in the treatment of multiple seizure disorders, including generalized tonic-clonic; absence; myoclonic, especially juvenile myoclonic; Lennox-Gastaut syndrome; and refractory epilepsy in children and adults. Data are emerging on possible uses of levetiracetam outside the realm of epilepsy because of its unique mechanisms of action. There is preliminary evidence about the efficacy of levetiracetam in the treatment of different psychiatric disorders, including anxiety, panic, stress, mood and bipolar, autism, and Tourette's syndrome. The most serious adverse effects associated with levetiracetam use are behavioral in nature and might be more common in patients with a history of psychiatric and neurobehavioral problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Levetiracetam is an effective AED with potential benefits in other neurologic and psychiatric disorders. The benefit-risk ratio in an individual patient with a specific condition should be used to determine its optimal use. Levetiracetam's use in nonepileptic conditions is not recommended until more data become available from larger trials.
Farooq
Muhammad U
MU
Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Michigan State University, 138 Service Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. muhammad.farooq@ht.msu.edu
Bhatt
Archit
A
Majid
Arshad
A
Gupta
Rishi
R
Khasnis
Atul
A
Kassab
Mounzer Y
MY
D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010889:Piracetam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam