In a small study, a single dose helped attention and processing speed.
Patients with epilepsy often complain of cognitive difficulties, which may be due to the underlying brain dysfunction or from the antiepileptic medication. Stimulants might help problems with attention, concentration, and fatigue, but clinicians and patients have raised concerns about the safety of stimulants, despite evidence indicating that they do not increase the risk for seizures. The current researchers conducted a double-blind, randomized, three-arm, cross-over study comparing a single dose of 10-mg methylphenidate, 20-mg methylphenidate, and placebo in 31 patients with epilepsy and chronic cognitive complaints (mean age, 35; 13 men; mean time since epilepsy diagnosis, 12.5 years; focal epilepsy, 24 patients).
Treatments were administ…
Reviewing Author
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)
DisclosuresRoyaltiesTextbook of Traumatic Brain Injury, 2nd and 3rd editions
Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesNorth American Brain Injury Association (Board Member); National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Chair of Data Monitoring Safety Board for study of donepezil on cognition after traumatic brain injury)