Abstracts

This prospective study compared the effects of the new antiepileptic drugs (AED) oxcarbazepine (OXC) and gabapentin (GBP) on eye movements and posture control in twelve healthy volunteers who received single doses of 900 mg GBP and 600 mg OXC in a double-blind, cross-over, randomized trial., The drug effects on electrooculography and postural sway were evaluated for averaged plasma levels, for individual highest to lowest plasma levels and for individual highest to lowest effect., OXC and GBP both affected eye movements significantly. The strongest impact was seen on vertical eye movements, with GBP slowing the peak vertical saccade by a maximum of 20.4% and OXC by 29.7%. There was no significant difference of the maximum effect between the two substances.
GBP affected body sway significantly in most conditions. The maximum impairment was seen in the difficult conditions (reclined head, eyes closed on foam plated showed 25.0% increase in body sway, tandem stance with closed eyes 67.0%). OXC increased body sway in only very few conditions (reclined head, eyes closed on foam plate showed a 6.0% increase, tandem stance with closed eyes 9.4%), and showed significantly less impairment as compared to GBP (p[lt]0.05)., Although OXC and GBP both may cause dizziness, the effects on eye movements and body sway were different. OXC seems to have less CNS side effects as measured by postural control and similar effects as measured by electrooculography at comparable doses., (Supported by Novartis.)