Cognitive Effect of Levetiracetam in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review
ABSTRACT: Background: Various therapeutic interventions have been investigated for cognitive impairment, a common problem in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Levetiracetam (LEV), an antiepileptic drug, has been shown to alleviate cognitive impairment. Objective: The present systematic review aimed to eval...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Current Therapeutic Research |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011393X25000232 |
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| author | Mohamad Hosein Mohamadi, MD Amir Bavafa, PhD Sahar Salehi, PhD Mahsa Abedi, MSc Fahimeh Shahabi, MSc Sana Jafarlou, MD Pirhossein Kolivand, PhD Sajad Sahab-Negah, PhD |
| author_facet | Mohamad Hosein Mohamadi, MD Amir Bavafa, PhD Sahar Salehi, PhD Mahsa Abedi, MSc Fahimeh Shahabi, MSc Sana Jafarlou, MD Pirhossein Kolivand, PhD Sajad Sahab-Negah, PhD |
| author_sort | Mohamad Hosein Mohamadi, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT: Background: Various therapeutic interventions have been investigated for cognitive impairment, a common problem in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Levetiracetam (LEV), an antiepileptic drug, has been shown to alleviate cognitive impairment. Objective: The present systematic review aimed to evaluate the cognitive effects of LEV in patients with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Embase databases for all studies on LEV and cognitive impairment. After multistep screening, we identified qualified interventional studies and performed further data extraction. We reviewed the methodological diversity across the studies and assessed the quality of each study using the critical appraisal of the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist (the risk of bias assessment). Results: Of the 1091 publications, only 5 articles were qualified for review. All studies enrolled patients with AD or MCI, and at least 1 arm of the trial involved LEV therapy. Four of 5 studies reported significant cognitive improvement in patients with AD or MCI after the LEV trials, whereas 1 study found no significant change in cognitive status. The risk of bias assessment revealed that 4 studies had a low risk of bias. Among them, 3 showed significant improvement, whereas 1 did not report a significant change in cognitive function. Conclusions: The efficacy of LEV therapy for cognitive impairment varies across studies owing to different methodologies, dosages, treatment durations, and outcome assessment tools. This study suggests that LEV may exert a beneficial impact on cognitive function in patients with AD or MCI. However, a quantitative comparison or meta-analysis is essential to draw definitive conclusions about the cognitive effects of LEV in AD and MCI. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bbec2c2cda0e4390a7f4872e0645b96a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0011-393X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Therapeutic Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-bbec2c2cda0e4390a7f4872e0645b96a2025-08-20T03:21:38ZengElsevierCurrent Therapeutic Research0011-393X2025-01-0110310079810.1016/j.curtheres.2025.100798Cognitive Effect of Levetiracetam in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic ReviewMohamad Hosein Mohamadi, MD0Amir Bavafa, PhD1Sahar Salehi, PhD2Mahsa Abedi, MSc3Fahimeh Shahabi, MSc4Sana Jafarlou, MD5Pirhossein Kolivand, PhD6Sajad Sahab-Negah, PhD7Student Research Committee, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, IranNeuroscience Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IranDepartment of Food Nanotechnology, Research Institute of Food Science and Technology, Mashhad, IranInstitute for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, GermanyNeuroscience Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IranStudent Research Committee, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, IranDepartment of Health Economics, School of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, IranMultiple Sclerosis Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Address correspondence to: Sajad Sahab-Negah, PhD, Multiple Sclerosis Research Center, Imam Reza Building, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ABSTRACT: Background: Various therapeutic interventions have been investigated for cognitive impairment, a common problem in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Levetiracetam (LEV), an antiepileptic drug, has been shown to alleviate cognitive impairment. Objective: The present systematic review aimed to evaluate the cognitive effects of LEV in patients with AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Embase databases for all studies on LEV and cognitive impairment. After multistep screening, we identified qualified interventional studies and performed further data extraction. We reviewed the methodological diversity across the studies and assessed the quality of each study using the critical appraisal of the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist (the risk of bias assessment). Results: Of the 1091 publications, only 5 articles were qualified for review. All studies enrolled patients with AD or MCI, and at least 1 arm of the trial involved LEV therapy. Four of 5 studies reported significant cognitive improvement in patients with AD or MCI after the LEV trials, whereas 1 study found no significant change in cognitive status. The risk of bias assessment revealed that 4 studies had a low risk of bias. Among them, 3 showed significant improvement, whereas 1 did not report a significant change in cognitive function. Conclusions: The efficacy of LEV therapy for cognitive impairment varies across studies owing to different methodologies, dosages, treatment durations, and outcome assessment tools. This study suggests that LEV may exert a beneficial impact on cognitive function in patients with AD or MCI. However, a quantitative comparison or meta-analysis is essential to draw definitive conclusions about the cognitive effects of LEV in AD and MCI.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011393X25000232Alzheimer’s diseaseLevetiracetamMild cognitive impairment |
| spellingShingle | Mohamad Hosein Mohamadi, MD Amir Bavafa, PhD Sahar Salehi, PhD Mahsa Abedi, MSc Fahimeh Shahabi, MSc Sana Jafarlou, MD Pirhossein Kolivand, PhD Sajad Sahab-Negah, PhD Cognitive Effect of Levetiracetam in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review Current Therapeutic Research Alzheimer’s disease Levetiracetam Mild cognitive impairment |
| title | Cognitive Effect of Levetiracetam in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Cognitive Effect of Levetiracetam in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Cognitive Effect of Levetiracetam in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cognitive Effect of Levetiracetam in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Cognitive Effect of Levetiracetam in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | cognitive effect of levetiracetam in patients with alzheimer s disease or mild cognitive impairment a systematic review |
| topic | Alzheimer’s disease Levetiracetam Mild cognitive impairment |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011393X25000232 |
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