Valproate lowered the amplitude of visual and somatosensory evoked potentials in two cases of untreated juvenile myoclonic epilepsy

Abstract

The amplitude of flash visual evoked potential (F-VEP) and somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) was found to be initially slightly higher in two understand patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Patients were studied before and after complete control of seizures with valproate. In both patients valproate prolonged the latencies of the waves IV and V and lowered the amplitudes of waves V and VI of the F-VEP. The N20-P25 amplitude in SEP in both patients was also lowered by valproate. These results may suggest that slightly higher cortical excitability in untreated JME was controlled by valproate.