Lower IQ found in children of women who took epilepsy drug

“However, our findings are consistent with other studies, which have shown valproate poses an increased risk for fetal death and birth defects, and have suggested the drug may harm cognitive development.”

Children of women who took the epilepsy drug valproate during pregnancy appear to be at a greater risk for lower IQ, according to research presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting in ... via EurekAlert!

[Dr Izin]

Here we go again with the issue of assuming that correlations indicate a causal relationship between two factors. They do not! It is an unfounded scientific leap to assume that any of the epilepsy drugs cited causes lower IQ scores. Here's why.

Using percentages of to indicate magnitude of difference is statistically bogus. The intervals between percentages in not equal and therefore lacking in standard uniformity for equivalent comparisons. Let's review for the Boston neurologist's shall we?

First, the relatively small sample of mothers with epilepsy in the study represents a very skewed subset from the normal population of mothers. For example, it is estimated that 10% of all persons with complex partial epilepsy have psychotic symptoms and 30-50% have psychiatric issues during the course of their illness.

With this frequency of thought disorder, might intelligence already be negatively affected with children suffering from this type of electrical brain pathology?

By definition, the various forms of epilepsy are neurological disorders, usually of unknown origin, and often associated with brain damage in the temporal lobes or hippocampus. Other developmental factors are at work here for lowered IQ scores for children of mothers with epilepsy, which may include the ingestion of drugs like Valproate if taken during pregnancy. Conclusions drawn from a single study unfortunately not simple due to the unknowns.

[Blue Boy]

My wife takes Lamictal. She is severely cognitively affected by it in terms of memory and name/word finding. If I gave her an IQ test, something I do regularly in the schools as a School Psychologist, she would undoubtedly score much lower on it. When I started noticing these effects with her, I looked up Lamictal on "askapatient." About 60% of the reviews mentioned something about memory and word finding.

[Dr Izin]

The administration of intelligence or other cognitive tests may be unreliable for an individual while taking prescribed LAMICTAL or any other psychopharmcology that impairs the attention span, recall, and fluid perceptual abilities. Many factors can raise or lower IQ scores beyond standard error expectations statistically. Psychopharmacology that dulls the senses somewhat is just one of them.

Lamictal (lamotirgene) is mainly prescribed as an antiepileptic, or for the therapeutic maintenance action with persons suffering from Bipolar I and other psychiatric mood disorders. It is quite potent even in a monotherapy dosage regimen depending on the symptoms addressed with strengths ranging from 2-200 mg tablets. Some pediatric and adult patients may not be able to tolerate Lamictal and establish biological homeostasis due to various side effects listed in detail by the FDA.

From the PDR (2006) regarding the effects on women during pregnancy and breast-feeding:
"The effects of LAMICTAL during pregnancy are not known at this time. If you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. Some LAMICTAL passes into breast milk and the effects of this on infants are unknown."

"Side Effects to Watch for:
Most people who take LAMICTAL tolerate it well. Common side effects with LAMICTAL include dizziness, headache, blurred or double vision, lack of coordination, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and rash." The latter is a major concern. LAMICTAL should be discontinued at the first sign of a rash.

[lex]

don't be an idiot.

why does everyone claim that meds can't lower iq because epilepsy has an effect on cognition? how many of the people in the tests measuring cognitive decline in epilepsy were ON AEDS?!!!! the sheer ignorance is astounding.

and no, i'm not a scientologist, so don't even start.

http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/showArticle.j...

[wichitarick]

hi
I have szs. and wow am getting almost tired of saying before I speak "something" definitely affected my memory and I.Q. level possibly a lot more than I really understand ?
I now understand that I have had status epilepticus ?????? numerous times and little doubt that the day last summer that I had 3 gmals I now know I was having szs all day .
I was on lamotrigine recently and was having serious depression also and really crazy thoughts and ???? and was hosp. BUT my meds were increased not decreased because I was told that my neuro wpuld have to do that whew I feel I could have died . am still having bad gmals on lamotrigine .
I read a lot about meds and where and how they work. pay attention to the signs and changes .
Just the side effects of the meds I take now are a disability . Rick

[sue]

iwas taking dilantin for 12 yrs after that i have been off my medication for 7yrs. i notice my iq score jumped 8 points. maybe iam wrong but i think its the dilantin. allso found out i have adhd which they never told me in school. iam 44.

[ACT]

sue wrote:

iwas taking dilantin for 12 yrs after that i have been off my medication for 7yrs. i notice my iq score jumped 8 points. maybe iam wrong but i think its the dilantin. allso found out i have adhd which they never told me in school. iam 44.

Are you sure these meds have helped your iq score? I've been taking this same meds(dilantin) and they make me feel like wichitarick has. I guess every person reacts different to meds. Dilantin does cause birth defects. I know it happened to one of my kids. After that happened my Neurologist recommened me not to have anymore kids. So at the age of 23 I got my tubes tide for good.