Potential of levetiracetam in mood disorders: A preliminary review

CNS Drugs

Volumn 20, Issue 12, 2006, Pages 969-979

  Muralidharan, Anjana ^a   Bhagwagar, Zubin ^a,b  

^a YALE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (United States)

^b Yale University School of Medicine   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ANTICONVULSIVE AGENT; BENZODIAZEPINE; CARBAMAZEPINE; CITALOPRAM; CLONAZEPAM; ETIRACETAM; HALOPERIDOL; LAMOTRIGINE; LITHIUM; LORAZEPAM; NEUROLEPTIC AGENT; OLANZAPINE; OXCARBAZEPINE; SEROTONIN UPTAKE INHIBITOR; SERTRALINE; TOPIRAMATE; VALPROATE SEMISODIUM; VALPROIC ACID; VERAPAMIL; ZIPRASIDONE;

ACCIDENTAL INJURY; ADD ON THERAPY; AGGRESSIVENESS; AGITATION; ANOREXIA; ANXIETY; ANXIETY DISORDER; APATHY; ASTHENIA; ATAXIA; BEHAVIOR; BEHAVIOR CHANGE; BEHAVIOR DISORDER; BIPOLAR DEPRESSION; BIPOLAR DISORDER; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASE; CHOREOATHETOSIS; CLINICAL TRIAL; COGNITIVE DEFECT; COMMON COLD; COORDINATION DISORDER; COUGHING; DEPERSONALISATION; DEPRESSION; DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER; DIZZINESS; DRUG ABSORPTION; DRUG APPROVAL; DRUG BIOAVAILABILITY; DRUG DOSE TITRATION; DRUG EFFICACY; DRUG ERUPTION; DRUG EXCRETION; DRUG MECHANISM; DRUG METABOLISM; DRUG OVERDOSE; DRUG TOLERABILITY; DRUG WITHDRAWAL; DYSKINESIA; EDEMA; EPILEPSY; EXCITEMENT; FOCAL EPILEPSY; GABAERGIC SYSTEM; GAIT DISORDER; GENERALIZED EPILEPSY; HEADACHE; HOSTILITY; HUMAN; HYPERACTIVITY; HYPERAMMONEMIA; HYPONATREMIA; INFECTION; LEARNING DISORDER; MANIA; MENTAL INSTABILITY; MIGRAINE; MONOTHERAPY; MOOD DISORDER; MYOCLONUS; MYOCLONUS SEIZURE; NERVOUSNESS; NEUROPATHIC PAIN; NONHUMAN; OBSESSION; PARKINSONISM; PATHOPHYSIOLOGY; PHARYNGITIS; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PROPHYLAXIS; PSYCHOSIS; RESPIRATION DEPRESSION; REVIEW; RHINITIS; SEDATION; SIDE EFFECT; SOMNOLENCE; SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR; SYSTEMATIC REVIEW; TEMPORAL LOBE EPILEPSY; UNSPECIFIED SIDE EFFECT; VOMITING; WEIGHT GAIN;

ANIMALS; ANTICONVULSANTS; CLINICAL TRIALS; HUMANS; MOOD DISORDERS; PIRACETAM; TREATMENT OUTCOME;

EID: 33845493263     PISSN: 11727047     EISSN: 11727047     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2165/00023210-200620120-00002     Document Type: Review

References (80)

1. Husum H, Bolwig TG, Sanchez C, et al. Levetiracetam prevents changes in levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neuropeptide Y mRNA and of Y1- and Y5-like receptors in the hippocampus of rats undergoing amygdala kindling: implications for antiepileptogenic and mood-stabilizing properties. Epilepsy Behav 2004; 5 (2): 204-15
2. Niespodziany I, Klitgaard H, Margineanu DG. Desynchronizing effect of levetiracetam on epileptiform responses in rat hippocampal slices. Neuroreport 2003; 14 (9): 1273-6
3. Loscher W, Honack D, Rundfeldt C. Antiepileptogenic effects of the novel anticonvulsant levetiracetam (ucb L059) in the kindling model of temporal lobe epilepsy. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1998; 284 (2): 474-9
4. Klitgaard H, Matagne A, Gobert J, et al. Evidence for a unique profile of levetiracetam in rodent models of seizures and epilepsy. Eur J Pharmacol 1998; 353 (2-3): 191-206
5. Anand A, Shekhar A. Brain imaging studies in mood and anxiety disorders: special emphasis on the amygdala. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2003; 985 (1): 370-88
6. Blumberg HP, Kaufman J, Martin A, et al. Amygdala and hippocampal volumes in adolescents and adults with bipolar disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2003; 60 (12): 1201-8
7. Strakowski SM, Delbello MP, Adler CM. The functional neuroanatomy of bipolar disorder: a review of neuroimaging findings. Mol Psychiatry 2005; 10 (1): 105-16
8. Campbell S, Marriott M, Nahmias C, et al. Lower hippocampal volume in patients suffering from depression: a meta-analysis. Am J Psychiatry 2004; 161 (4): 598-607
9. Videbech P, Ravnkilde B. Hippocampal volume and depression: a meta-analysis of MRI studies. Am J Psychiatry 2004; 161 (11): 1957-66
10. Mayberg HS, Brannan SK, Tekell JL, et al. Regional metabolic effects of fluoxetine in major depression: serial changes and relationship to clinical response. Biol Psychiatry 2000; 48 (8): 830-43
11. Rigo JM, Hans G, Nguyen L, et al. The anti-epileptic drug levetiracetam reverses the inhibition by negative allosteric modulators of neuronal GABA- and glycine-gated currents. Br J Pharmacol 2002; 136 (5): 659-72
12. Loscher W, Honack D, Bloms-Funke P. The novel antiepileptic drug levetiracetam (ucb L059) induces alterations in GABA metabolism and turnover in discrete areas of rat brain and reduces neuronal activity in substantia nigra pars reticulata. Brain Res 1996; 735 (2): 208-16
13. Poulain P, Margineanu DG. Levetiracetam opposes the action of GABAA antagonists in hypothalamic neurones. Neuropharmacology 2002; 42 (3): 346-52
14. Brambilla P, Perez J, Barale F, et al. GABAergic dysfunction in mood disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2003; 8 (8): 721-37
15. Sanacora G, Mason GF, Krystal JH. Impairment of GABAergic transmission in depression: new insights from neuroimaging studies. Crit Rev Neurobiol 2000; 14 (1): 23-45
16. Shiah I-S, Yatham LN. GABA function in mood disorders: an update and critical review. Life Sci 1998; 63 (15): 1289-303
17. Petty F. GABA and mood disorders: a brief review and hypothesis. J Affect Disord 1995; 34 (4): 275-81
18. Benes FM, Berretta S. GABAergic interneurons; implications for understanding schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2001; 25 (1): 1-27
19. Torrey EF, Barci BM, Webster MJ, et al. Neurochemical markers for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression in postmortem brains. Biol Psychiatry 2005; 57 (3): 252-60
20. Motohashi N. GABA receptor alterations after chronic lithium administration: comparison with carbamazepine and sodium valproate. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 1992; 16 (4): 571-9
21. Vargas C, Tannhauser M, Barros HM. Dissimilar effects of lithium and valproic acid on GABA and glutamine concentrations in rat cerebrospinal fluid. Gen Pharmacol 1998; 30 (4): 601-4
22. Berrettini WH, Rubinow DR, Nurnberger Jr JI, et al. CSF substance P immuno-reactivity in affective disorders. Biol Psychiatry 1985; 20 (9): 965-70
23. Larsson OM, Gram L, Schousboe I, et al. Differential effect of gamma-vinyl GABA and valproate on GABA-transaminase from cultured neurones and astrocytes. Neuropharmacology 1986; 25 (6): 617-25
24. Shiah IS, Yatham LN, Baker GB. Divalproex sodium increases plasma GABA levels in healthy volunteers. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 2000; 15 (4): 221-5
25. Radtke RA. Pharmacokinetics of levetiracetam. Epilepsia 2001; 42 Suppl. 4: 24-7
26. Coupez R, Straetemans R, Sehgal G, et al. Levetiracetam: relative bioavailability and bioequivalence of a 10% oral solution (750mg) and 750mg tablets. J Clin Pharmacol 2003; 43 (12): 1370-6
27. Patsalos PN. Pharmacokinetic profile of levetiracetam: toward ideal characteristics. Pharmacol Ther 2000; 85 (2): 77-85
28. Nicolas JM, Collart P, Gerin B, et al. In vitro evaluation of potential drug interactions with levetiracetam, a new antiepileptic agent. Drug Metab Dispos 1999; 27 (2): 250-4
29. Klitgaard H. Levetiracetam: The preclinical profile of a new class of antiepileptic drugs? Epilepsia 2001; 42 Suppl. 4: 13-8
30. Zona C, Niespodziany I, Marchetti C, et al. Levetiracetam does not modulate neuronal voltage-gated Na+ and T-type Ca2+ currents. Seizure 2001; 10 (4): 279-86
31. Lukyanetz EA, Shkryl VM, Kostyuk PG. Selective blockade of N-type calcium channels by levetiracetam. Epilepsia 2002; 43 (1): 9-18
32. Niespodziany I, Klitgaard H, Margineanu DG. Levetiracetam inhibits the high-voltage-activated Ca2+ current in pyramidal neurones of rat hippocampal slices. Neurosci Lett 2001; 306 (1-2): 5-8
33. Roberts GM, Majoie H, Leenen LA, et al. Ketter's hypothesis of the mood effects of antiepileptic drugs coupled to the mechanism of action of topiramate and levetiracetam. Epilepsy Behav 2005; 6 (3): 366-72
34. Birnstiel S, Wulfert E, Beck SG. Levetiracetam (ucb LO59) affects in vitro models of epilepsy in CA3 pyramidal neurons without altering normal synaptic transmission. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 1997; 356 (5): 611-8
35. Margineanu DG, Wulfert E. Inhibition by levetiracetam of a non GABAA receptor-associated epileptiform effect of bicuculline in rat hippocampus. Br J Pharmacol 1997; 122: 1146-50
36. Noyer M, Gillard M, Matagne A. The novel antiepileptic drug levetiracetam (ucb L059) appears to act via a specific binding site in CNS membranes. Eur J Pharmacol 1995; 286: 137-46
37. Lynch BA, Lambeng N, Nocka K, et al. The synaptic vesicle protein SV2A is the binding site for the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2004; 101 (26): 9861-6
38. Lamberty Y, Margineanu DG, Klitgaard H. Absence of negative impact of levetiracetam on cognitive function and memory in normal and amygdala-kindled rats. Epilepsy Behav 2000; 1 (5): 333-42
39. Barrueto Jr F, Williams K, Howland MA, et al. A case of levetiracetam (Keppra) poisoning with clinical and toxicokinetic data. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2002; 40 (7): 881-4
40. Ben-Menachem E, Falter U. Efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam 3000 mg/d in patients with refractory partial seizures: a multicenter, double-blind, responder-selected study evaluating monotherapy. European Levetiracetam Study Group. Epilepsia 2000; 41 (10): 1276-83
41. Betts T, Waegemans T, Crawford P. A multicentre, double-blind, randomized, parallel group study to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of two oral doses of levetiracetam 2000mg daily and 4000mg daily, without titration in patients with refractory epilepsy. Seizure 2000; 9 (2): 80-7
42. Cereghino JJ, Biton V, Abou-Khalil B, et al. Levetiracetam for partial seizures: results of a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Neurology 2000; 55 (2): 236-42
43. Shorvon SD, Lowenthal A, Janz D, et al. Multicenter double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of levetiracetam as add-on therapy in patients with refractory partial seizures. European Levetiracetam Study Group. Epilepsia 2000; 41 (9): 1179-86
44. Physician's Desk Reference. Montvale (NJ): Medical Economics Co, Inc; 2004
45. Harden C. Safety profile of levetiracetam. Epilepsia 2001; 42 Suppl. 4: 36-9
46. French J, Edrich P, Cramer JA. A systematic review of the safety profile of levetiracetam: a new antiepileptic drug. Epilepsy Res 2001; 47 (1-2): 77-90
47. Mula M, Trimble M, Yuen A, et al. Psychiatric adverse events during levetiracetam therapy. Neurology 2003; 61 (5): 704-6
48. Vigevano F. Levetiracetam in pediatrics. J Child Neurol 2005; 20 (2): 87-93
49. Speechio LM, Gambardella A, Giallonardo AT, et al. Open label, long-term, pragmatic study on levetiracetam in the treatment of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Epilepsy Res 2006; 71: 32-9
50. Glauser TA, Ayala R, Elterman RD, et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of adjunctive levetiracetam in pediatric partial seizures. Neurology 2006; 66: 1654-60
51. Bergey G. Initial treatment of epilepsy: special issues in treating the elderly. Neurology 2004; 63: S40-8
52. Cramer J, Leppik I, De Rue K, et al. Tolerability of levetiracetam in elderly patients with CNS disorders. Epilepsy Res 2003; 56: 135-45
53. Alsaadi T, Koopmans S, Apperson M, et al. Levetiracetam monotherapy for elderly patients with epilepsy. Seizure 2004; 13 (1): 58-60
54. Ferrendelli J. Use of levetiracetam in a population of patients aged 65 and older: a subset analysis of the KEEPER trial. Epilepsy Behav 2003; 4: 702-9
55. Gibson G. Efficacy of levetiracetam in developmentally disabled patients: a review of the literature and six case reports. Epilepsy Behav 2002; 3: 280-4
56. Kaplan L. The effect of levetiracetam on behavior and seizures in mentally retarded adults with refractory epilepsy [abstract]. Epilepsia 2001; 42: 152
57. O'Rourke MH, Sharma D, Besag F. Add-on levetiracetam in adult mental retardation with intractable seizures [abstract]. Epilepsia 2001; 42: 155
58. Brodtkorb E, Klees TM, Nakken KO, et al. Levetiracetam in adult patients with and without learning disability: focus on behavioral adverse effects. Epilepsy Behav 2004; 5: 231-5
59. Huber B, Bommel W, Hauser I, et al. Efficacy and tolerability of levetiracetam in patients with therapy-resistant epilepsy and learning disabilities. Seizure 2004; 13: 168-75
60. Zesiewicz T, Sullivan K, Maldonado J, et al. Open-label pilot study of levetiracetam (Keppra) for the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord 2005; 20 (9): 280-4
61. Frucht S, Louis E, Chuang C, et al. A pilot tolerability and efficacy study of levetiracetam in patients with chronic myoclonus. Neurology 2001; 57 (6): 1112-4
62. Chatterjee A, Louis E, Frucht S. Levetiracetam in the treatment of paroxysmal kinesiogenic choreoathetosis. Mov Disord 2002; 17 (3): 614-5
63. Enggaard T, Klitgaard N, Sindrup S. Specific effect of levetiracetam in experimental human pain models. Eur J Pain 2006; 10 (3): 193-8
64. Janzsky J, Pannek H, Janzsky I, et al. Failed surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy: predictors for a long-term seizure-free course. Epilepsy Res 2005; 64: 35-44
65. Miller G. Efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in pediatric migraine. Epilepsy Res 2005; 64: 35-44
66. Ciesielski A-S, Samson S, Steinhoff BJ. Neuropsychological and psychiatric impact of add-on titration of pregabalin versus levetiracetam: a comparative short-term study. Epilepsy Behav. In press
67. Post RM, Putnam F, Contel NR, et al. Electroconvulsive seizures inhibit amygdala kindling: implications for mechanisms of action in affective illness. Epilepsia 1984; 25 (2): 234-9
68. Husum H, Mikkelsen JD, Hogg S, et al. Involvement of hippocampal neuropeptide Y in mediating the chronic actions of lithium, electroconvulsive stimulation and citalopram. Neuropharmacology 2000; 39 (8): 1463-73
69. Lamberty Y, Margineanu DG, Klitgaard H. Effect of the new antiepileptic drug levetiracetam in an animal model of mania. Epilepsy Behav 2001; 2 (5): 454-9
70. Lamberty Y, Gower A, Klitgaard H. The new antiepileptic drug levetiracetam normalizes chlordiazepoxide withdrawal-induced anxiety in mice. Eur J Pharmacol 2003; 439: 101-6
71. Gower A, Falter U, Lamberty Y. Anxiolytic effects of the novel anti-epileptic drug levetiracetam in the elevated plus-maze test in the rat. Eur J Pharmacol 2003; 481: 67-74
72. Lamberty Y, Falter U, Gower A, et al. Anxiolytic profile of the antiepileptic drug levetiracetam in the Vogel conflict test in the rat. Eur J Pharmacol 2003; 469: 97-102
73. Goldberg JF, Burdick KE. Levetiracetam for acute mania. Am J Psychiatry 2002; 159 (1): 148
74. Soria CA, Remedi C. Levetiracetam as mood stabilizer in the treatment of pharmacogenic hypomania in bipolar disorder II in elderly patients. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2002; 5 Suppl. 1: S57
75. Braunig P, Kruger S. Levetiracetam in the treatment of rapid cycling bipolar disorder. J Psychopharmacol 2003; 17 (2): 239-41
76. Grunze H, Langosch J, Born C, et al. Levetiracetam in the treatment of acute mania: an open add-on study with an on-off-on design. J Clin Psychiatry 2003; 64 (7): 781-4
77. Kaufman KR. Monotherapy treatment of bipolar disorder with levetiracetam. Epilepsy Behav 2004; 5 (6): 1017-20
78. Bersani G. Levetiracetam in bipolar spectrum disorders: first evidence of efficacy in an open, add-on study. Hum Psychopharmacol 2004; 19 (5): 355-6
79. Post RM, Altshuler LL, Frye MA, et al. Preliminary observations on the effectiveness of levetiracetam in the open adjunctive treatment of refractory bipolar disorder. J Clin Psychiatry 2005; 66 (3): 370-4
80. Stoner SC, Lea J, Wolf AL, et al. Levetiracetam for mood stabilization and maintenance of seizure control following multiple treatment failures. Ann Pharmacother 2005; 39 (11): 1928-31