EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF VIGABATRIN ON COGNITIVE-ABILITIES AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN EPILEPSY

We evaluated the psychological effects of the antiepilepsy drug vigaba trin in a randomized multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled paral lel group study that compared 3 grams oral vigabatrin with placebo as daily add-on therapy in patients with focal epilepsy whose complex par tial seizures were difficult to control. Testing at baseline and after 12 weeks of vigabatrin (n = 83) or placebo (n = 85) used eight measur es of cognitive abilities and three of mood and adjustment. The vigaba trin and placebo groups were highly similar at entry into the study. A t the end of the study, there were no differences between the vigabatr in and placebo groups on any cognitive variable or on any measure of m ood and adjustment. Analysis of the results related to relief from sei zures demonstrated only chance findings. In a similar manner, there we re no relationships between vigabatrin serum levels at the end of the study and changes on measures of abilities and adjustment. Vigabatrin appears to be a useful antiepilepsy drug with little impact upon tests of either cognitive abilities or quality of life.