LACK OF ASSOCIATION BETWEEN VIGABATRIN AND IMPAIRED COGNITION

Of 14 patients with a history of partial epilepsy who received vigabat rin 2 g daily for 6 months, eight were newly diagnosed and received vi gabatrin as monotherapy, while the remaining six received vigabatrin i n addition to pre-existing treatment with phenobarbitone. Neurophysiol ogical and neuropsychological evaluations, done before and after the t herapeutic period, included the Luria-Nebraska neuropsychological batt ery (LNNB), electroencephalograms (EEGs) and evoked potentials. The re sults for each item of the test battery at baseline were compared with those after 6 months' treatment. There were no statistically signific ant differences on the functional scales of the LNNB, the EEG or the e voked potentials. There was a significant improvement (P = 0.01) in th e LNNB topographic scales for the right frontal lobe and the motor-sen sory area following treatment. These results indicate that vigabatrin has no detrimental effects on cognitive function and may improve funct ion.