Effects of sulthiame upon intellectual, neuropsychological, and social functioning abilities among adult epileptics: comparison with diphenylhydantoin.

This report presented results of psychological studies done during a double-blind study which compared sulthiame with diphenylhydantoin as primary agents in the treatment of uncontrolled epileptics. Assessments of intellectual, neuropsychological, and social functioning abilities were made with 22 adult epileptic patients. The results showed significantly less impairment with treatment by diphenylhydantoin than by sulthiame, and substantial differences were revealed on intellectual tasks, on tasks calling for sustained concentration and attention, and on psychomotor problem-solving tasks. The results could not be explained on the basis of increased tonic-clonic seizures while on sulthiame. However, an increase in other types of seizures was noted, as was an increase in EEG epileptiform discharges. Possible mechanisms for the decrement in performance were discussed, and the value of an objective assessment of the psychological effects of anticonvulsant agents was noted.