Epilepsy research
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The long-term efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam (LEV) was analysed in 218 epilepsy patients. One hundred and ninety-nine patients were treated for at least 6 months. We evaluated LEV efficacy for all types of seizures together, and for simple partial, complex partial and secondary generalized seizures individually. ⋯ LEV is effective and well tolerated for long-term treatment of epilepsy.
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Lithium-pilocarpine induces status epilepticus (SE), leading to extensive damage and spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS). Neuroprotective and antiepileptogenic effects of topiramate (TPM) associated with diazepam (DZP) were investigated in this model. SE was induced by LiCl and pilocarpine. ⋯ The latency to and frequency of SRS were not modified by DZP-TPM. T2-weighted signal was decreased in hippocampus 3 days after SE at all TPM doses and in ventral hippocampus after epilepsy onset. In conclusion, although DZP-TPM treatment was able to partially protect two areas critical for epileptogenesis, the hippocampus and ventral entorhinal cortex, it was not sufficient to prevent epileptogenesis.