This study describes the brain distribution of carbamazepine (CBZ) and phenobarbital (PB) given intraperitoneally in combination to cats rendered epileptic by parenteral penicillin and by penicillin topically applied on neocortex. A control group of normal cats was also evaluated pharmacokinetically. Levels of both drugs were extremely low in brains of controls (CBZ 0.8 +/- 0.02 micrograms/g; PB 1.49 +/- 0.7 micrograms/g of fresh tissue), but higher levels were found in brains of epileptic cats with CBZ showing the greater increase (peak concentrations five- to sixfold higher than the corresponding CSF free fraction vs. three- to fourfold higher for PB). This might have been partially due to the ability of CBZ to prevent the metabolic alterations associated with severe convulsions, and hence the binding impairment. As this event had no effect of potentiation on CBZ anticonvulsant activity, the present data confirm previous reports indicating that there is no experimental evidence that two drugs are better than one in controlling epilepsy.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Idiopathic generalized epilepsy: magnetic stimulation of motor cortex time-locked and unlocked to 3-Hz spike-and-wave discharges.

In 20 patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy who showed typical 3-Hz spike-and-wave (SW) EEG complexes, we studied the corticospinal motor output with a transcranial electromagnetic stimulator. First we measured the corticospinal discharge threshold for both hemispheres in the patient group and compared it with that of 10 age- and sex-matched volunteers. Threshold was significantly higher in the patient group, regardless of whether subjects were treated with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). In 4 patients with very frequent SW paroxysms, we were able to study motor evoked potential (MEP) changes time-locked to epileptic EEG transients. The EEG signal was recorded bipolarly (C3-P3, C4-P4) by scalp needle-electrodes. For a given stimulus intensity, we collected and measured MEPs occurring during the spike or the wave portion of the SW complexes. Data were compared with those of MEPs obtained time-locked to normal EEG segments. MEP size was significantly decreased when the cortical stimulus was time-locked to the wave component, and was decreased or unchanged when the stimulus was time-locked to the spike. Magnetic stimulation never produced remarkable side effects.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Absence of preventive anti-epileptic action of taurine on experimental epileptogenic foci].

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Animals↗