Kälviäinen R, Aikiä M, Mervaala E, Saukkonen A M, Pitkänen A, Riekkinen P J
Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Kuopio, Finland.
Epilepsy Res. 1996 Nov;25(3):291-7. doi: 10.1016/s0920-1211(96)00084-8.
A new anti-epileptic drug, tiagabine, is a potent inhibitor of GABA uptake into neurons and glia. Tiagabine has shown promising efficacy and safety profiles as add-on treatment for partial seizures. We evaluated the long-term effects of tiagabine on cognition and EEG in 37 patients with partial epilepsy. The study protocol consisted of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group add-on study and an open-label extension study. During the 3 month double-blind phase at low doses (30 mg/day) tiagabine treatment did not cause any cognitive or EEG changes as compared with placebo. Tiagabine treatment did not cause deterioration in cognitive performance or produce any rhythmic slow-wave activity or other constant, new abnormalities on EEG during longer follow-up with successful treatment on higher doses after 6-12 months (mean 65.7 mg/day, range 30-80 mg/day) and after 18-24 months (mean dose 67.6 mg/day, range 24-80 mg/day). The daily dosages in the long-term follow-up of the present study are higher than in the previous reports.
