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Levetiracetam improves symptoms of multiple chemical sensitivity

alkt

Senior Member
Messages
339
Location
uk
a single patient observation is not some thing you can trust . to be honest I do not know why it was even published .
 

IThinkImTurningJapanese

Senior Member
Messages
3,492
Location
Japan
a single patient observation is not some thing you can trust . to be honest I do not know why it was even published .

Perhaps because they are intolerant of MCS being dismissed as somatic symptoms disorder (SSD). ;)

Levetiracetam improves symptoms of multiple chemical sensitivity: Case report
Many clinicians accept that a diagnosis of somatic symptoms disorder (SSD) is an appropriate diagnostic category for MCS. We found that administration of levetiracetam improved recurrent symptoms of MCS in a patient.
 

caledonia

Senior Member
The med helped because the patient was having seizures. It was an anti-seizure medication. It suppressed the seizures. It didn't cure the MCS.

As far as these statements:

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a disorder of unknown etiology with no effective treatment. Many clinicians accept that a diagnosis of somatic symptoms disorder (SSD) is an appropriate diagnostic category for MCS.

MCS has a known etiology and there is effective treatment. Clinicians who think SSD is an appropriate diagnostic category are uniformed.
 

IThinkImTurningJapanese

Senior Member
Messages
3,492
Location
Japan
The med helped because the patient was having seizures. It was an anti-seizure medication. It suppressed the seizures. It didn't cure the MCS.


The medication was prescribed because she was having seizures, it was noticed that it also relieved her MCS.
She suffered partial seizures from the age of 17 years, and was diagnosed with right parietal lobe epilepsy. Administration of levetiracetam (250 mg/day) eliminated her MCS symptoms.


Clinicians who think SSD is an appropriate diagnostic category are uniformed.

I love that typo. :D Uniformed, uniform, that is the problem. For such a dangerous idea, change is all too slow.
 

pattismith

Senior Member
Messages
3,932
The effect of Levetiracetam on the brain and mental health is a very interesting topic.

Here an old paper (2008): it's about side effects of Lev taken as an anti-epileptic drug;

Positive and negative psychotropic effects of levetiracetam​

C Helmstaedter 1, N E Fritz, E Kockelmann, N Kosanetzky, C E Elger

Abstract​

Objectives: The goals of this study were to observe behavioral changes in patients receiving levetiracetam (LEV), a newer antiepileptic drug (AED), and to answer the question of whether LEV exerts a specific effect on impulse control and aggression.

Methods: We asked 288 consecutive patients with epilepsy on LEV (90% polytherapy, mean dose=2689 mg) and 135 relatives whether LEV caused a positive or negative behavioral change. Forty-three patients on other AEDs served as a control group. Ratings were related to patient characteristics, efficacy, dose, drug load, bidirectional ratings of change in behavioral domains, and questionnaires on personality (Fragebogens zur Persönlichkeit bei zerebralen Erkrankungen) and impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11).

Results: LEV was rated as very effective by 40% of the patients. In contrast to only 9% of the controls, a considerable number of patients reported a behavioral change while taking LEV (12% very negative, 25% negative, 16% positive, 6% very positive). Negative ratings were due to loss of self-control, restlessness, sleep problems, and, most importantly, aggression.

Positive ratings were due to increased energy, vigilance, and activation. Increases in psychomotor speed, concentration, and remote memory indicated subjectively experienced positive effects on cognition.

The proxy reports indicated reliable self-reports. Reported change was not related to type of epilepsy, co-therapy, dose, drug load, or psychiatric history. Negative effects were, however, associated with poorer seizure control, mental retardation, indicators of an organic psychosyndrome, and nonplanning impulsiveness.

Conclusion:

The results indicate that LEV exerts a dose-independent stimulating effect that can be positive or negative.

Aggression is a prominent feature. Lack of efficacy, mental retardation, and presumably also pre-intake disposition (organic psychosyndrome, impulsivity) may be helpful in predicting whether additional activation under LEV will be positive or negative.