Cumulative effects of antiseizure medication on intelligence in children with focal epilepsy

Higher cumulative medication load is associated with lower total IQ after adjusting for epilepsy-related confounders. We found no evidence to support the hypothesis that the medication-related IQ decrease was mediated by volumetric brain changes. However, these results should be interpreted with caution, and prospective, longitudinal confirmation of these findings is required. Lastly, it should be stressed that effective seizure prevention often outweighs the potential negative effects of antiseizure medication.