Abstracts

This prospective study compared the effects of the new antiepileptic drug (AED) pregabalin (PRE) with the established AED carbamazepine (CBZ) on eye movement and posture control in twelve healthy volunteers who received single doses of 75 mg PRE and 400 mg slow release CBZ 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., CBZ and PRE both affected eye movements significantly. The strongest impact was seen on saccadic eye movements, with CBZ slowing the peak horizontal saccade by a maximum of 35.6% (PRE 28.5%). The peak vertical saccade was slowed by CBZ (17.6%) and PRE (27.3%). There was no statistically significant difference of the maximum effect between the two substances.
CBZ and PRE both also affected body sway. Significant impairment was mostly seen in difficult conditions (reclined head, eyes closed on foam plate showed a 24% increase in body sway for CBZ, 24.7% increase for PRE). Only in selected conditions could a statistically significant difference be seen between the two AEDs., In summary, PRE and CBZ impair eye movement and posture control - as measured by objective electrophysiological methods - similarly.,