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Memory and psychomotor effects of oxcarbazepine in healthy human volunteers

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Summary

Cognitive and psychomotor impairments can be unwanted adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs. The present double-blind, coross-over study with healthy volunteers was designed to assess the effects of two doses of oxcarbazepine (OXCZ) (150 mg b.i.d.; 300 mg b.i.d.) and a placebo, each given over a two week period. Twelve subjects completed a battery of tests before and 4 h after morning doses on days 1,8 and 15.

Results of objective tests indicated that OXCZ improved performance on a focussed attention task and increased manual writing speed. Subjective ratings showed OXCZ increased feelings of altertness, clear-headedness and quickwittedness. OXCZ had no effect on the range of long-term memory processes assessed in this study. It is concluded that at the doses employed, OXCZ has a slightly stimulant effect on some aspects of psychomotor functioning.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, SE58AF, London, UK

    H. V. Curran & R. Java

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  1. H. V. Curran
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  2. R. Java
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Curran, H.V., Java, R. Memory and psychomotor effects of oxcarbazepine in healthy human volunteers. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 44, 529–533 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02440853

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02440853

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