The effect of topical application of antibiotics on the cerebral cortex

Abstract

✓ A common complication of intrathecal sepsis is the development of clinical seizure activity. However, some of the newer, commonly used antibiotics may have epileptogenic and electrocortical depressant effects when applied topically to the cerebral cortex. Epileptogenic characteristics of these antibiotics may be masked by the known tendency for intracranial sepsis to produce both early and late clinical seizure problems. In this experimental study, electrocortical spike activity was produced by penicillin, methicillin, cephalothin, carbenicillin, colistimethate, and neomycin, and electrocortical depression was caused by tobramycin and gentamicin. A mixed picture was found with neomycin and carbenicillin.