LONG-TERM COGNITIVE AND EEG EFFECTS OF TIAGABINE IN DRUG-RESISTANT PARTIAL EPILEPSY

A new anti-epileptic drug, tiagabine, is a potent inhibitor of GABA up take into neurons and glia. Tiagabine has shown promising efficacy and safety profiles as add-on treatment for partial seizures. We evaluate d the long-term effects of tiagabine on cognition and EEG in 37 patien ts 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 c ause deterioration in cognitive performance or produce any rhythmic sl ow-wave activity or other constant, new abnormalities on EEG during lo nger follow-up with successful treatment on higher doses after 6-12 mo nths (mean 65.7 mg/day, range 30-80 mg/day) and after 18-24 months (me an dose 67.6 mg/day, range 24-80 mg/day). The daily dosages in the lon g-term follow-up of the present study are higher than in the previous reports.