Reduction of voltage-operated potassium currents by levetiracetam: a novel antiepileptic mechanism of action?

Levetiracetam (ucb L059; Keppra) is a novel antiepileptic drug. Its effects on action potential generation and voltage-operated potassium currents were studied in acutely isolated hippocampal CA1 neurones from rat and guinea pig, using the patch-clamp technique in the whole-cell configuration. (i) Levetiracetam reduced repetitive action potential generation and affected the single action potential.