PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Epilepsy drug taken in pregnancy found safe in preschool child development

2014-01-09
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Rachel Seroka
rseroka@aan.com
612-928-6129
American Academy of Neurology
Epilepsy drug taken in pregnancy found safe in preschool child development MINNEAPOLIS – A new study finds that the epilepsy drug levetiracetam appears not to be associated with thinking, movement and language problems for preschool children born to mothers who took the drug during pregnancy, although the drug valproate was associated with some difficulties in preschoolers. The study is published in the January 8, 2014, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"These results are heartening, as the use of levetiracetam has increased in recent years, but there has been limited information on its effect on the thinking, movement and language abilities of children. However this is the first study to look at the effects of levetiracetam and further research is needed before we can be certain there are no associations. It is very important that women do not stop taking their medication before speaking to their healthcare professional," said study author Rebekah Shallcross, PhD, of the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom.

The study involved 53 children exposed to levetiracetam, 44 children whose mothers took valproate and 151 children whose mothers did not have epilepsy and did not take any drugs during pregnancy. The children were age three to four-and-a-half. Tests evaluated their development in areas such as thinking, movement and language abilities.

The study found that children exposed to levetiracetam did not differ from children not exposed to epilepsy drugs on any scale administered. Children who were exposed to valproate, however, scored an average of 16 points lower on movement tests, 10 points lower on expressive language tests and six points lower on language comprehension measures than those exposed to levetiracetam.

In a corresponding editorial, Pavel Klein, MB, BChir, of the Mid-Atlantic Epilepsy and Sleep Center in Bethesda, Md., said, “Importantly, valproate is used more commonly for treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases such as bipolar affective disorder or migraines, than for epilepsy. In 2005 to 2007, only 19 percent of the 926,000 valproate prescriptions given to women in the U.S. between the ages of 15 and 44 years were for seizures. There is virtually no information about the drug’s effect on babies born to mothers taking the drug for these disorders.” Klein noted that valproate doses used in these disorders are usually lower than for epilepsy. INFORMATION:

The study was supported by UCB Pharma.

To learn more about epilepsy, please visit http://www.aan.com/patients.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 26,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.

Media Contacts:
Rachel Seroka, rseroka@aan.com, (612) 928-6129
Michelle Uher, muher@aan.com, (612) 928-6120

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

2 million years ago, human relative 'Nutcracker Man' lived on tiger nuts

2014-01-09
2 million years ago, human relative 'Nutcracker Man' lived on tiger nuts An Oxford University study has concluded that our ancient ancestors who lived in East Africa between 2.4 million-1.4 million years ago mainly ate tiger nuts (grass bulbs) supplemented ...

Cardiologists urged to reduce inappropriate radiation exposure

2014-01-09
Cardiologists urged to reduce inappropriate radiation exposure Radiation from cardiology procedures equals more than 50 chest X-rays per person each year Sophia Antipolis, 9 January 2014: Cardiologists are being urged to reduce patient radiation exposure ...

New study finds upper-airway electronic stimulation effective for obstructive sleep apnea

2014-01-09
New study finds upper-airway electronic stimulation effective for obstructive sleep apnea UH Case Medical Center one of US and European clinical trial sites showing marked improvements for sleep apnea sufferers CLEVELAND: Results published ...

Study finds that information is as important as medication in reducing migraine pain

2014-01-09
Study finds that information is as important as medication in reducing migraine pain Findings also show that patients report pain relief even when they know they are receiving a placebo BOSTON – The information that clinicians provide to patients ...

Ancient Cambodian city's intensive land use led to extensive environmental impacts

2014-01-09
Ancient Cambodian city's intensive land use led to extensive environmental impacts Soil erosion may reveal ancient water management in Mahendraparvata Soil erosion and vegetation change indicate approximately 400 years of intensive land use around the city of Mahendraparvata ...

Neolithic mural may depict ancient eruption

2014-01-09
Neolithic mural may depict ancient eruption Volcanic rock age suggests Catalhoyuk mural may be based on Turkish eruption Volcanic rock dating suggests the painting of a Çatalhöyük mural may have overlapped with an eruption in Turkey according to results published ...

BOSS measures the universe to 1-percent accuracy

2014-01-09
BOSS measures the universe to 1-percent accuracy The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey makes the most precise calibration yet of the universe's 'standard ruler' Today the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Collaboration announced that BOSS has ...

Tracking the deep sea paths of tiger sharks

2014-01-09
Tracking the deep sea paths of tiger sharks Understanding the habitat-use and migration patterns of large sharks Shark research scientist, Dr Jonathan Werry, has undertaken a four year study tracking the migratory patterns of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) ...

Discovery brings scientists 1 step closer to understanding tendon injury

2014-01-09
Discovery brings scientists 1 step closer to understanding tendon injury Research led by Queen Mary University of London has discovered a specific mechanism that is crucial to effective tendon function, which could reveal why older people are more ...

Bacteria linked to water breaking prematurely during pregnancy

2014-01-09
Bacteria linked to water breaking prematurely during pregnancy DURHAM, N.C. – A high presence of bacteria at the site where fetal membranes rupture may be the key to understanding why some pregnant women experience their "water breaking" prematurely, ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?

Pink skies

Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research

Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered

% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?

An app can change how you see yourself at work

NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals

New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds

Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea

New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea

Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke

Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition

Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life

Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy

Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming

Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly

Alcohol makes male flies sexy

TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income

Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression

Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring

Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs

AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders

First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes

Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows

Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission

UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages

In pancreatic cancer, a race against time

[Press-News.org] Epilepsy drug taken in pregnancy found safe in preschool child development