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Quantitative EEG analysis of brivaracetam in drug-resistant epilepsy: A pharmaco-EEG study
Ricci, Lorenzo Tombini, Mario Savastano, Ersilia Pulitano, Patrizia Piccioli, Marta Forti, Marco
Sancetta, Biagio Boscarino, Marilisa Narducci, Flavia Mecarelli, Oriano
Ricci, Lorenzo
Tombini, Mario
Savastano, Ersilia
Pulitano, Patrizia
Piccioli, Marta
Sancetta, Biagio
Boscarino, Marilisa
Narducci, Flavia
Mecarelli, Oriano
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Abstract
Objective
Brivaracetam (BRV) is a recent antiseizure medication (ASM) approved as an add-on therapy for people with focal epilepsy. BRV has a good efficacy and safety profile compared to other ASMs. However, its specific effects on resting-state EEG activity and connectivity are unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate quantitative EEG changes induced by BRV therapy in a population of adult people with drug-resistant epilepsy (PwE) compared to healthy controls (HC).
Methods
We performed a longitudinal, retrospective, pharmaco-EEG study on a population of 23 PwE and a group of 25 HC. Clinical outcome was dichotomized into drug-responders (i.e., >50% reduction in seizures’ frequency; RES) and non-responders (N-RES) after two years of BRV. EEG parameters were compared between PwE and HC at baseline (pre-BRV) and after three months of BRV therapy (post-BRV). We investigated BRV-related variations in EEG connectivity using the phase locking value (PLV).
Results
BRV therapy did not induce modifications in power spectrum density across different frequency bands. PwE presented lower PLV connectivity values compared to HC in all frequency bands. RES exhibited lower theta PLV connectivity compared to HC before initiating BRV and experienced an increase after BRV, eliminating the significant difference from HC.
Conclusions
This study shows that BRV does not alter the EEG power spectrum in PwE, supporting its favourable neuropsychiatric side-effect profile, and induces the disappearance of EEG connectivity differences between PwE and HC.
Significance
The integration of EEG quantitative analysis in epilepsy can provide insights into the efficacy, mechanism of action, and side effects of ASMs.
Description
Date
2024
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Research Projects
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Keywords
Drug-resistant epilepsy, Functional connectivity, Pharmaco-EEG, Brivaracetam, Quantitative EEG analysis
Citation
Ricci, Lorenzo, Mario Tombini, Ersilia Savastano, et al. “Quantitative EEG Analysis of Brivaracetam in Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: A Pharmaco-EEG Study.” Clinical Neurophysiology 163 (July): 152–59. 2024.
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Attribution 4.0 International