Cognitive performance after reduction in anti-epileptic medication
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cognitive performance after reduction in anti-epileptic medication
IRAS ID
219554
Contact name
Jon Evans
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
Epilepsy is a neurological condition where excessive and synchronous discharges of electricity in the brain cause seizures. There are also psychological conditions which mimic epilepsy (psychogenic non-epileptic seizures PNES) and can be inappropriately diagnosed as epilepsy.
In both cases people will be prescribed medication to control seizures. Sometimes people are on multiple kinds of anti-seizure drugs. These medications are often reported to cause significant cognitive (e.g. memory and thinking) side effects. The evidence is that the more different types of drugs people are on the greater their impairment.
Previous studies have tested changes in cognition, when seizures have ceased, and people who are on one type of medication which is stopped. Measurable improvements were seen in cognition. This demonstrated the benefit of stopping medication if clinically possible.
Little is known about changes in cognition when people who are on multiple medications have some or all of those stopped. The assumption would be that the side effect burden would be reduced, but this has not been demonstrated.
The Scottish Epilepsy Centre is a specialist 12 bedded epilepsy hospital. It admits people for 4 weeks to clarify a diagnosis of epilepsy and rationalize (either reduce or stop) seizure medication as is clinically indicated.
Therefore this setting provides the environment for a natural experiment. The SEC allows consideration of the changes in cognition that result with medication reduction in a complex group who are on multiple medication types.
Cognitive tests (pen and paper tests of memory, speed and thinking, which are routinely administered to this group) will be given in a standardized manner at the beginning and end of admission and will allow exploration of the cognitive benefit of having medication reduced.
REC name
London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/0086
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jan 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion