Definition

Levetiracetam is an anti-epileptic drug (AED). It is often used in combination with other medications in the treatment of epilepsy, a neurological dysfunction in which excessive surges of electrical energy are emitted in the brain.

Purpose

While levetiracetam controls the partial seizures (focal seizures) associated with epilepsy, there is no known cure for the disorder. In partial epileptic seizures, neural disturbances are limited to a specific region of the brain and the affected person usually remains conscious throughout the seizure. Although the precise mechanisms by which it works are unknown, levetiracetam is thought to exert its therapeutic effect by decreasing the abnormal activity and excitement within the area brain that may...