Patients undergoing long-term video-EEG monitoring for the purpose of pre-operative
epilepsy diagnostics will be invited to participate in the study. Patients will be
pseudo-randomized into three study conditions (in blocks of six). The study participants
will take a placebo pill designated either as a "seizure pill" (Condition PCB-S) or a
"comfort pill" (PCB-W) in addition to their regular medication in the morning and
evening, or not receive any additional placebo medication (No-PCB).
Both the "seizure pill" and the "comfort pill" are commercially available,
ingredient-free placebo pills (P-pills blue Lichtenstein, produced by Winthrop
Pharmaceuticals). No further details about the composition of the pill will be provided;
information about the ingredients of the respective pill will be provided after the end
of the entire study. Depending on randomization, study participants will be informed that
this pill is expected to (1) either facilitate/accelerate the occurrence of epileptic
seizures (PCB-S) (thereby shortening the required time for video-EEG monitoring), or (2)
to lead to a more stable/improved emotional well-being during the stay in the V-EEG
(PCB-W) or (3) will not receive a pill but are asked to fill-in questionnaires and
diaries like the other patients.Start of the V-EEG will be documented as the starting
point for latency measurement for the occurrence of a first epileptic seizure. The
patients will be pseudo-randomized into the three study conditions: Out of every 6
patients, 2 will be assigned to each of the three study conditions. Patients in both
active study conditions will receive the first pill at the start of the V-EEG. After
that, study participants will receive the respective "pill" morning and evening in
addition to their other medications, however, visibly separated from them and clearly
marked as study medication. All participants, including controls, will keep a seizure
diary during the V-EEG. In addition, they will fill-in a newly constructed ad-hoc
questionnaire at the beginning and after the V-EEG. Finally, all patients will be asked
twice daily (around 9 AM and around 6 PM) about their overall emotional well-being using
a visual analogue scale (VAS; 0 very bad ... 100 extremely good). The highly standardized
clinical procedures of presurgical evaluation are in no way affected by the study. In
particular, anti-seizure medications for all patients will be tapered off following
exactly the same schedule without any influence from the study; the medication will be
precisely documented.