Effects of Carbamazepine on Psychomotor Performance in Children as a Function of Drug Concentration, Seizure Type, and Time of Medication

Summary: Fifty children with well‐controlled seizures who were receiving carbamazepine (CBZ) monotherapy were tested on a battery of cognitive and motor tests. Time of CBZ was varied so that the children were tested both shortly after CBZ (when daily CBZ concentrations approached their peak) and before CBZ (when CBZ concentrations approached daily low or trough levels). Testing was blind so that the examiner was unaware of the time of CBZ or the child's type of seizure. Results showed only one group difference related to seizure type and no differences linked to overall CBZ concentration as measured in saliva. Peak and trough concentrations were associated with changes in several variables, however. The children performed significantly better shortly after CBZ (peak concentration day) on measures of seat activity, attention span, and motor steadiness, whereas response times appeared to be influenced in a task‐specific manner.

[1]  P. Walson,et al.  Carbamazepine plasma concentration. Relationship to cognitive impairment. , 1987, Archives of neurology.

[2]  M. Aman,et al.  Effect of Sodium Valproate on Psychomotor Performance in Children as a Function of Dose, Fluctuations in Concentration, and Diagnosis , 1987, Epilepsia.

[3]  A. Stracciari,et al.  Withdrawal of phenobarbital and carbamazepine in epileptic patients: a preliminary neuropsychological report. , 1986, Acta neurologica Scandinavica.

[4]  R. Elwes,et al.  A Comparative Study of the Cognitive Effects of Phenytoin and Carbamazepine in New Referrals with Epilepsy , 1986, Epilepsia.

[5]  J. McDermott.  The Psychobiology of Childhood: A Profile of Current Issues , 1984 .

[6]  M. Aman,et al.  Fluctuations in Salivary Carbamazepine and Carbamazepine‐10,11‐Epoxide Concentrations During the Day in Epileptic Children , 1983, Epilepsia.

[7]  J. Paxton.  Carbamazepine Determination in Saliva of Children: Enzyme Immunoassay (EMIT®) Versus High Pressure Liquid Chromatography , 1982, Epilepsia.

[8]  M. Trimble,et al.  Further studies on anticonvulsant drugs and seizures , 1981, Acta neurologica Scandinavica. Supplementum.

[9]  K. Syndulko,et al.  ASSESSMENT OF DISABILITY IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS BY A TRAINED TECHNICIAN , 1981 .

[10]  M. Trimble,et al.  Anticonvulsant drugs, cognitive function and memory , 1980, Acta neurologica Scandinavica. Supplementum.

[11]  J. Paxton,et al.  Concentrations and kinetics of carbamazepine in whole saliva, parotid saliva, serum ultrafiltrate, and serum , 1980, Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics.

[12]  C. Nunn.  A model of the functional psychoses , 1980, Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica.

[13]  S. Foote,et al.  Aberrantly high phenytoin concentrations in saliva. Precaution in monitoring phenytoin concentrations in whole saliva. , 1979, British journal of clinical pharmacology.

[14]  T. Oei,et al.  Kinetics of carbamazepine and carbamazepine‐epoxide, determined by use of plasma and saliva , 1978, Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics.

[15]  R. Sprague,et al.  Methylphenidate in hyperkinetic children: differences in dose effects on learning and social behavior. , 1977, Science.

[16]  C. Dodrill,et al.  Psychotropic effects of carbamazepine in epilepsy , 1977, Neurology.

[17]  D. Guthrie,et al.  Carbamazepine as an anticonvulsant in children , 1977, Neurology.

[18]  M. Aman,et al.  Methylphenidate and haloperidol in children. Effects on attention, memory, and activity. , 1975, Archives of general psychiatry.

[19]  H Gastaut,et al.  Clinical and Electroencephalographical Classification of Epileptic Seizures , 1970, Epilepsia.

[20]  H. Birch,et al.  Auditory visual integration in normal and retarded readers , 1965, The American journal of orthopsychiatry.

[21]  Jerome Kagan,et al.  Reflection-impulsivity and reading ability in primary grade children. , 1965 .

[22]  H E ROSVOLD,et al.  A continuous performance test of brain damage. , 1956, Journal of consulting psychology.

[23]  H. E. Burtt.  Sex Differences in the Effect of Discussion. , 1920 .

[24]  M. Aman,et al.  Methylphenidate in Hyperactive and Enuretic Children , 1984 .

[25]  G. Danta,et al.  Anticonvulsants, folic acid and memory dysfunction in epileptics. , 1984, Clinical and experimental neurology.

[26]  G. Danta,et al.  Anticonvulsant effects on the memory performance of epileptics. , 1984, Clinical and experimental neurology.

[27]  M. Aman,et al.  Methylphenidate and diazepam in severe reading retardation. , 1982, Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry.

[28]  M. Sillanpää.  Carbamazepine. Pharmacology and clinical uses. , 1981, Acta neurologica Scandinavica. Supplementum.

[29]  M. Aman,et al.  Imipramine and methylphenidate in hyperactive children. , 1980, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

[30]  D. Daly,et al.  Complex partial seizures and their treatment , 1976 .

[31]  M. Dalby.  Behavioral effects of carbamazepine. , 1975, Advances in neurology.