Epilepsy Research
Volume 88, Issue 2 , Pages 112-117 , February 2010

Efficacy of levetiracetam in the treatment of drug-resistant Rett syndrome

  • Nicola Specchio

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, P.zza S. Onofrio, 00165 Rome, Italy
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +39 0668592645; fax: +39 0668592463.
    • ,
  • Martina Balestri

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, P.zza S. Onofrio, 00165 Rome, Italy
    • ,
  • Pasquale Striano

      Affiliations

    • Muscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit “G. Gaslini” Institute, Genova, Italy
    • ,
  • Maria Roberta Cilio

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, P.zza S. Onofrio, 00165 Rome, Italy
    • ,
  • Rosaria Nardello

      Affiliations

    • Child Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
    • ,
  • Santina Patanè

      Affiliations

    • Child Neurology and Psychiatry, ASL LE/2, Lecce, Italy
    • ,
  • Maria Luisa Margiotta

      Affiliations

    • Child Remedial Service, ASL LE/1, Lecce, Italy
    • ,
  • Giuseppe D’Orsi

      Affiliations

    • Epilepsy Center, Opera Don Uva, Bisceglie (BA), Italy
    • ,
  • Salvatore Striano

      Affiliations

    • Muscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases Unit “G. Gaslini” Institute, Genova, Italy
    • ,
  • Silvia Russo

      Affiliations

    • Medical Genetics, Italian Auxetic Institute, Cusano Milanino (MI), Italy
    • ,
  • Luigi Maria Specchio

      Affiliations

    • Clinic of Nervous System Disease, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
    • ,
  • Raffaella Cusmai

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, P.zza S. Onofrio, 00165 Rome, Italy
    • ,
  • Lucia Fusco

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, P.zza S. Onofrio, 00165 Rome, Italy
    • ,
  • Federico Vigevano

      Affiliations

    • Division of Neurology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, P.zza S. Onofrio, 00165 Rome, Italy

Received 12 May 2009 ,Revised 7 October 2009 ,Accepted 12 October 2009.

References 

  1. Berkovic SF, Knowlton RC, Leroy RF, Schiemann J, Falter U Levetiracetam N01057 Study Group. Placebo-controlled study of levetiracetam in idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Neurology. 2007;69:1751–1760
  2. Birnstiel S, Wülfert 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;356:611–618
  3. Brodie MJ, Perucca E, Ryvlin P, Ben-Menachem E, Meencke HJ Levetiracetam Monotherapy Study Group. Comparison of levetiracetam and controlled-release carbamazepine in newly diagnosed epilepsy. Neurology. 2007;68:402–408
  4. Clemens B, Piros P, Bessenyei M, Hollódy K. Lamotrigine decreases EEG synchronization in a use-dependent manner in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Clin. Neurophysiol. 2007;118:910–917
  5. Glauser TA, Ayala R, Elterman RD, Mitchell WG, Van Orman CB, Gauer LJ, et al. Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of adjunctive levetiracetam in pediatric partial seizures. Neurology. 2006;66:1654–1660
  6. Glaze DG. Neurophysiology of Rett syndrome. J. Child Neurol. 2005;20:740–746
  7. Goyal M, O’Riordan MA, Wiznitzer M. Effect of topiramate on seizure and respiratory dysrithmia in Rett syndrome. J. Child Neurol. 2004;19:588–591
  8. Haas RH, Rice MA, Trauner DA, Merritt TA. Therapeutic effects of a ketogenic diet in Rett syndrome. Am. J. Med. Genet. Suppl. 1986;1:225–246
  9. Hagberg B, Hanefeld F, Percy A, Skjeldal O. An update on clinically applicable diagnostic criteria in Rett syndrome. Comments to Rett Syndrome Clinical Criteria Consensus Panel Satellite to European Paediatric Neurology Society Meeting. Baden, Germany, 11 September 2001, Eur. J. Paediatr. Neurol. 2002;6:293–297
  10. Hogart A, Nagarajan RP, Patzel KA, Yasui DH, Lasalle JM. 15q11–13 GABAA receptor genes are normally biallelically expressed in brain yet are subject to epigenetic dysregulation in autism-spectrum disorders. Hum. Mol. Genet. 2007;16:691–703
  11. Huppke P, Köhler K, Brockmann K, Stettner GM, Gärtner J. Treatment of epilepsy in Rett syndrome. Eur. J. Paediatr. Neurol. 2007;11:10–16
  12. Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité DG, Marescaux C, Stodieck S, Edelbroek PM, Oosting J. Photosensitive epilepsy: a model to study the effects of antiepileptic drugs. Evaluation of the piracetam analogue, levetiracetam. Epilepsy Res. 1996;25:225–230
  13. Liebhaber GM, Riemann E, Baumeister FA. Ketogenic diet in Rett syndrome. J. Child Neurol. 2003;18:74–75
  14. Niedermeyer E, Rett A, Renner H, Murphy M, Naidu S. Rett syndrome and the electroencephalogram. Am. J. Med. Genet. 1986;1:195–199
  15. Nieto-Barrera M, Nieto-Jiménez M, Díaz F, Campaña C, Sánchez ML, Ruiz del Portal L, et al. Clinical course of epileptic seizures in Rett's syndrome. Rev. Neurol. 1999;28:449–453
  16. Noachtar S, Andermann E, Meyvisch P, Andermann F, Gough WB, Schiemann-Delgado J N166 Levetiracetam Study Group. Levetiracetam for the treatment of idiopathic generalized epilepsy with myoclonic seizures. Neurology. 2008;70:607–616
  17. Ogier M, Katz DM. Breathing dysfunction in Rett syndrome: understanding epigenetic regulation of the respiratory network. Respir. Physiol. Neurobiol. 2008;164:55–63
  18. Palma E, Ragozzino D, Di Angelantonio S, Mascia A, Maiolino F, Manfredi M, et al. The antiepileptic drug levetiracetam stabilizes the human epileptic GABAA receptors upon repetitive activation. Epilepsia. 2007;48:1842–1849
  19. Reis J, Wentrup A, Hamer HM, Mueller HH, Knake S, Tergau F, et al. Levetiracetam influences human motor cortex excitability mainly by modulation of ion channel function—a TMS study. Epilepsy Res. 2004;62:41–51
  20. Samaco RC, Hogart A, LaSalle JM. Epigenetic overlap in autism-spectrum neurodevelopmental disorders: MECP2 deficiency causes reduced expression of UBE3A and GABRB3. Hum. Mol. Genet. 2005;14:483–492
  21. Sannita WG, Maggi L, Germini PL, Fioretto M. Quantitative EEG effects and plasma concentration of sodium valproate: acute and long-term administration to epileptic patients. Doc. Ophthalmol. 1989;71:413–419
  22. Sannita WG, Gervasio L, Zagnoni P. Quantitative EEG effects and plasma concentration of sodium valproate: acute and long-term administration to epileptic patients. Neuropsychobiology. 1989;22(4):231–235
  23. Specchio N, Boero G, Michelacci R, Gambardella A, Giallonardo AT, Fattouch J, et al. Effects of levetiracetam on EEG abnormalities in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2008;49:663–669
  24. Steffenburg U, Hagberg G, Hagberg B. Epilepsy in a representative series of Rett syndrome. Acta Paediatr. 2001;90:34–39
  25. Stenbom Y, Tonnby B, Hagberg B. Lamotrigine in Rett syndrome: treatment experience from a pilot study. Eur. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry. 1998;7:49–52
  26. Trauner DA, Haas RH. Electroencephalographic abnormalities in Rett syndrome. Pediatr. Neurol. 1987;3:331–334
  27. Uldall P, Hansen FJ, Tonnby B. Lamotrigine in Rett syndrome. Neuropediatrics. 1993;24:339–340
  28. Zhang L, He J, Jugloff DG, Eubanks JH. The MeCP2-null mouse hippocampus displays altered basal inhibitory rhythms and is prone to hyperexcitability. Hippocampus. 2008;18:294–309

PII: S0920-1211(09)00293-9

doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2009.10.005

Epilepsy Research
Volume 88, Issue 2 , Pages 112-117 , February 2010

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution