The effect of perampanel on aggression and depression in patients with epilepsy: A short-term prospective study

Using specialized tools, we assessed patients receiving perampanel (PER) to investigate its effects on aggression and depression, as well as the impact of other concomitant antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) on those conditions.

Seventy-seven patients with epilepsy were initially enrolled, then examined at entry and 12 weeks later (endpoint). At both examinations, assessments were performed with the Buss Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BAQ) and Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E). Ultimately, 59 patients completed the study.

Total BAQ (p = 0.013) and NDDI-E (p = 0.000) scores at the endpoint were significantly increased in comparison with those at entry. Analysis with 4 subscales showed increases in both verbal and physical aggression, while multivariate analysis revealed that concomitant AED administration did not have a significant impact on the increase of BAQ or NDDI-E score. A dose-dependent effect of PER was confirmed in BAQ, but not NDDI-E results. PER was discontinued due to adverse psychiatric effects in 3.9% of the patients.

The present findings indicate that PER increases assessment scores indicative of aggression as well as depression. No additional aggression-augmenting effect was seen with concomitant AED administration.