Two studies by physicians at UC Davis Medical Center have found that levetiracetam, an antiepileptic
drug typically used in combination with other drugs, is effective as a single therapy for adult and elderly
patients. The studies, presented at the American Epilepsy Society conference in Boston, are significant
because single-drug therapy is a much easier course of treatment and may be an option for some 13 million
epilepsy patients worldwide who currently use multiple medications to control epileptic seizures.
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by seizures. Its cause is only partially understood.
"We found that levetiracetam monotherapy can be effective and well-tolerated in adults with new
onset and difficult-to-control epilepsy and that most patients were able to remain seizure-free at one-year
follow-up," said Taoufik M. Alsaadi, assistant professor of neurology and director of the UC Davis
Epilepsy Treatment Center.
