title: Neuropsychological implications of adjunctive levetiracetam in childhood epilepsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Levetiracetam (LEV) is an effective antiepileptic drug also used in childhood and adolescence. Literature data regarding the long-term effects of LEV in childhood epilepsy and based on extensive neuropsychological evaluations using standardized tools are still scanty. Our study aimed to address this topic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 10 patients with epilepsy characterized by focal or generalized seizures (4 boys, 6 girls; mean age: 10 years 8 months; range: 6 years 2 months - 16 years 2 months), treated with adjunctive LEV during a follow-up of 12 months. In 6 patients electroencephalogram (EEG) showed continuous spike and waves during sleep. Using standardized tools, we performed seriated assessments of cognitive and behavioral functioning in relation to seizure and EEG outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six patients completed the trial after 12 months of treatment; 1 patient dropped out of the study after 9 months, 3 patients after 6 months. Adjunctive LEV was effective on seizures in 3/10 patients and on EEG in 2/10 patients, and was well tolerated in all examined cases. Overall, no worsening of cognitive or behavioral functions has been detected during the period of the study; even at 6 and 12 months from baseline, an improvement in patients' abstract reasoning has been found, that was not related to seizure or EEG outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our population of children and adolescents, LEV had no adverse cognitive or behavioral effects, short- or long-term. We found an improvement of abstract reasoning, regardless of seizure and EEG outcome.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Bologna, Italy ; Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Annio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Posar
authors.affiliation: Child Neurology Unit, S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Grazia G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.affiliation: Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Infermi Hospital, Rimini, Italy.
authors.forename: Morena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Bologna, Italy ; Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santucci
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Scaduto
authors.affiliation: Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy ; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parmeggiani
keywords: Adolescence; antiepileptic drugs; behavior; childhood; cognitive functions; electroencephalogram; epilepsy; levetiracetam