title: Effect of levetiracetam monotherapy on background EEG activity and cognition in drug-naïve epilepsy patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the cognitive effect of levetiracetam (LEV) monotherapy with quantitative electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis and neuropsychological (NP) tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two drug-naïve epilepsy patients were enrolled. EEG recordings were performed before and after LEV therapy. Relative power of discrete frequency bands was computed, as well as alpha peak frequency (APF) at occipital electrodes. Eighteen patients performed a battery of NP tests twice across LEV treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LEV therapy decreased the power of delta (1-3 Hz, p<0.01) and theta (3-7 Hz, p<0.05) bands and increased that of alpha-2 (10-13 Hz, p<0.05) and beta-2 (19-24 Hz, p<0.05) bands. Region-specific spectral change was observed: delta power change was significant in fronto-polar region, theta in anterior region, alpha-2 in broad region, and beta-2 in left fronto-central region. APF change was not significant. Improvement in diverse NP tests requiring attention, working memory, language and executive function was observed. Change in theta, alpha-2, and beta-2 power was correlated with improvement in several NP tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest LEV is associated with acceleration of background EEG frequencies and improved cognitive function. Change in frequency band power could predict improvement in several cognitive domains across LEV therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined study of quantitative EEG analysis and NP tests can be useful in identifying cognitive effect of antiepileptic drugs.
authors: Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jounhong Ryan
authors: JR
authors: Cho
authors: Dae Lim
authors: DL
authors: Koo
authors: Eun Yeon
authors: EY
authors: Joo
authors: So Mi
authors: SM
authors: Yoon
authors: Eunji
authors: E
authors: Ju
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Dae Young
authors: DY
authors: Kim
authors: Seung Bong
authors: SB
authors: Hong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D058256:Brain Waves / Q000187:drug effects*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D010889:Piracetam