Effects of phenytoin on N100 augmenting/reducing and the late positive complex of the event-related potential: a topographic analysis

The effects of 100 mg of phenytoin on the topographic distribution of augmenting/reducing (amplitude response/nonresponse to increases in stimulus intensity) of the visual N100 component of the event-related potential (ERP) were examined. In normal subjects, visual N100 augmenting is associated with impulsivity and attentional distraction. Effects of phenytoin on the topographic distributions of the P300 and slow-wave cognitive ERP components were also examined. Subjects counted the total number of light flashes presented at two highly discriminable but equiprobable intensities. Results indicated that phenytoin had a significant reducing effect on the intensity response of N100 at the vertex and anterior temporal electrode sites, and approached significance at the frontal pole. That is, at these loci N100 showed less of an increase in amplitude (or, in some subjects, more of a decrease) in going from baseline to drug than in going from baseline to placebo. Results also indicated that phenytoin significantly enhanced the amplitude of the frontal, negative portion of slow wave, but not the posterior, positive portion or the P300 component. These findings are consistent with behavioral evidence that phenytoin reduces impulsivity and improves concentration.