간질 치료제 복용으로 인한 음성학적인 변화에 대한 연구

Acoustic Variations in Epileptic Patients with Topiramate

Topiramate (TPM) is a new antiepileptic drug characterized by a clinical effective reduction in seizure frequency and it represents a useful drug effective in a wide range of epileptic patients. Known side effects are represented by weight loss, hypohidrosis, anorexia, sedation, nephrolithiasis, cognitive complaints and language disorders. This study is to examine acoustic characteristics of patients with TPM. 15 patients were assessed through a Computerized Speech Lab (CSL) applied before the beginning of therapy with TPM and 3 months after medication had been stabilized. Tests had been chosen to assess voice onset time (VOT), total duration (TD), vowel formants, loudness, pitch, speaking rate, and articulation patterns. We compared the data from patients and healthy volunteers. The statistical analysis of the results did not show changes in acoustic tests, except for TD which was increased. The increase of the TD is evaluated as a deterioration of fluency. Our results suggest that patients with TPM did not experience acoustic speech changes except that fluency was declined. Unlike previous studies, the medication of TPM has nothing to do with speech problems in patients with epilepsy.