Levetiracetam Did Not Worsen Anxiety Or Depression In Kids

What was studied

This study followed 35 children and adolescents with epilepsy who started levetiracetam, a common seizure medicine. Their average age was 12.2 years. The researchers wanted to evaluate how depressive and anxiety symptoms changed after starting the medicine.

The children completed standard questionnaires before treatment and again during the maintenance phase of treatment. These included the Beck Depression Inventory for depression and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children for anxiety. Thirty patients completed the follow-up comparison.

What they found

In the 30 patients with follow-up data, depression scores did not change significantly after starting levetiracetam. Anxiety that reflects how a child feels "right now" (state anxiety) decreased on average, while longer-term anxiety tendency (trait anxiety) showed a non-significant reduction. Looking at individual questionnaire items gave a similar overall picture: symptoms were generally stable rather than clearly worsening. Some children had early behavioral activation severe enough that the medicine had to be stopped; this occurred in 8.5% of patients.

Limits of the evidence

This was a small study, and it did not include a control group for comparison. That means it cannot show that levetiracetam caused the changes seen, including the drop in state anxiety. The abstract notes that multiple factors beyond treatment effects may have influenced the results. Also, 5 of the 35 patients did not complete the full follow-up, and the findings should be considered descriptive.

For families and caregivers

For families, this study suggests that levetiracetam was not associated with higher depression or anxiety scores overall in this small group of children. At the same time, a small number had early behavior problems serious enough to stop the medicine. This may help families know that mood and behavior should still be watched closely after starting treatment, especially early on, but this study does not show that most children will develop anxiety or depression from the drug.

What to watch next

Larger, controlled studies with careful tracking of mood, anxiety, and behavior over time would help clarify these findings.

Terms in this summary

levetiracetam

A medicine used to help prevent seizures.

behavioral activation

A change in behavior such as agitation, irritability, restlessness, or unusual overactivity.

maintenance phase

The period after starting a medicine when the dose has been adjusted and treatment is ongoing.

depressive symptoms

Signs linked to depression, such as sadness, low energy, or loss of interest.

state anxiety

Anxiety a person feels in the moment or over a short time.

trait anxiety

A person’s usual tendency to feel anxious over time.

item-level analysis

Looking at answers to each question on a survey, not just the total score.

control group

A comparison group that does not get the same treatment, used to help assess whether the treatment may be linked to an effect.