impact of antiepileptic drugs on cognitive and behavioral functions in children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy

ABSTRACT

The effects of antiepileptic drugs [AEDs] on the cognitive functions and behavior were studied in 60 freshly diagnosed epileptic children suffering from idiopathic generalized tonic-clonic [GTC] seizures, compared with 15 healthy children. The mean age at presentation was 11.6 + 2.3 years [range 6-15 years]. Our results demonstrated that children suffering from idiopathic GTC, before initiation of AED therapy, had cognitive and behavioral disturbances as evidenced by lower results of the various tests utilized. The behavioral and cognitive impairment became worse after phenytoin [PHT] and phenobarbital [PB] monotherapy in spite of adequate seizure control, while the behavioral and cognitive functions got better after carbamazepine [CBZ] and Valproate [VPA] monotherapy. PHT was more damaging on cognition while PB was more damaging on behavior. We concluded that AEDs significantly modify cognitive functions and behavior in epileptic children. PHT and PB have deleterious effects while CBZ and VPA have positive effects on cognition and behavior