Lacosamide may improve cognition in patients with focal epilepsy: EpiTrack to compare cognitive side effects of lacosamide and carbamazepine

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a first generation anti-seizure drug, considered as first choice therapy in focal epilepsy but associated with cognitive side effects. Lacosamide (LCM) is a third-generation anti-seizure drug approved for treating focal epilepsy. This case series documented the comparable effi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Claudio Liguori, Francesca Izzi, Natalia Manfredi, Nicola Biagio Mercuri, Fabio Placidi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2018-01-01
Series:Epilepsy and Behavior Case Reports
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213323218300057
Description
Summary:Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a first generation anti-seizure drug, considered as first choice therapy in focal epilepsy but associated with cognitive side effects. Lacosamide (LCM) is a third-generation anti-seizure drug approved for treating focal epilepsy. This case series documented the comparable efficacy of LCM and CBZ as first add on treatments in patients affected by uncontrolled focal seizures. LCM showed an increase in EpiTrack scores, which measure cognitive abilities, at follow-up compared to CBZ. This preliminary data may represent the basis for future prospective studies aimed at comparing the long-term cognitive side effects of LCM and CBZ. Keywords: Lacosamide, Carbamazepine, Cognition, EpiTrack, Focal epilepsy
ISSN:2213-3232