Caenorhabditis Intervention Testing Program: the anticonvulsant levetiracetam does not extend lifespan in nematodes

The Caenorhabditis Intervention Testing Program aims to identify lifespan-extending interventions that are effective across diverse genetic backgrounds. Previous studies identified a role for anticonvulsants in lifespan extension in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans . The FDA-approved anticonvulsant levetiracetam acts in C. elegans and modulates neurotransmission. However, levetiracetam effects on nematode lifespan are unknown. Here, we examine the effect of levetiracetam on the lifespan of strain representatives from three species of the Caenorhabditis genus. Our results do not reveal an effect of levetiracetam on nematode lifespan, indicating that anticonvulsants can differ in their ability to extend lifespan.