Antiepileptic drugs and Parkinson's disease

Several recent studies have shown an association between epilepsy and Parkinson's disease (PD). The role of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) has not been explored.

In a new study published in JAMA (JAMA Neurol. Published online December 27, 2022. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.4699 investigate the association between AEDs and incident PD.

Exposure to AEDs (carbamazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, and sodium valproate) was defined using routinely collected prescription data derived from primary care.

Of the 1433 individuals, 873 (60.9%) were male, 1397 (97.5%) had their race and ethnicity recorded as White, and their median age was 71 years (IQR, 65-75 years). We found an association between AED prescriptions and incident PE (odds ratio, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.35-2.40). There was a tendency to associate a higher number of prescriptions and multiple AEDs with an increased risk of PE.

In conclusion, This study is the first to systematically look at the risk of PE in individuals who were prescribed the most common AEDs, finding evidence of an association between AEDs and incident PE.