EFFECTS OF MONOTHERAPY AND POLYTHERAPY ON THE BLINK REFLEX IN EPILEPTIC PATIENTS

We performed the blink reflex (BR) in 20 normal volunteers, 13 epilept ic patients receiving antiepileptic drug (AED) monotherapy, and 13 epi leptic patients receiving AED polytherapy. Comparison of R1, ipsilater al and contralateral R2 and VIIth nerve latencies in the three groups showed no statistically significant differences in R1 and VIIth nerve latencies among the three groups. There were statistically significant differences between the polytherapy group and the monotherapy and con trol groups in comparisons of ipsilateral and contralateral R2. There were no significant differences between the monotherapy group and the control group for ipsilateral and contralateral R2. We hypothesized th at AED polytherapy might interfere with synaptic transmission in the p olysynaptic pathway of the blink reflex, prolonging the latency of R2. These results provide further evidence of the pathophysiologic effect s associated with polytherapy in epileptic patients.