The differential effect of levetiracetam on memory and anxiety in rats

• Published in: Epilepsy & behavior 2022-11, Vol.136, p.108917, Article 108917
• Main Authors: Zwierzyńska, Ewa, Pietrzak, Bogusława
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anticonvulsants - adverse effects; Anxiety; Anxiety - drug therapy; Levetiracetam; Levetiracetam - pharmacology; Male; Maze Learning; Memory; Piracetam - pharmacology; Piracetam - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Wistar
• ISSN: 1525-5050; 1525-5069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.108917

•Levetiracetam administered at a single dose impaired emotional memory in rats.•Prolonged administration of the drug disturbed the long-term recognition memory.•Levetiracetam administered as repeated doses disturbed locomotor activity in rats.•A single or repeated doses of levetiracetam did not alter spatial memory in rats. One of the newest antiseizure medication is levetiracetam (LEV). It might be effective in various indications, not only related to convulsions. Central nervous system disorders are common during anticonvulsant therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of LEV on various types of memory and anxiety in rats. Adult male Wistar rats (n = 58) were given LV p.o. as a single (100 mg/kg or 500 mg/kg) or repeated doses (300 mg/kg). The effect of the drug on memory was assessed in the Morris water maze (MWM) (spatial memory), the passive avoidance (PA) (emotional memory) and the novel object recognition (NOR) (recognition memory). The anxiety was evaluated in the elevated plus maze (EPM). LEV administered as repeated doses disturbed the long-term recognition memory in NOR and locomotor activity in EPM. A single dose affected emotional memory in PA. LEV did not alter spatial memory in MWM. LEV may cause memory and locomotor disturbances, but some of these adverse effects seem to be temporary and limited to the effect of acute dose.