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Update on the use of new anticonvulsants as mood stabilisers

Pharmacy Department, Hellesdon Hospital, Drayton High Road, Norwich NR6 5BE

Lamotrigine, gabapentin, topiramate and tiagabine are increasingly being used as mood stabilisers. Unfortunately, there are no controlled trials confirming efficacy. The current data are in the form of case reports and open-label trials, where there is the potential for false-positive results due to bias, placebo effects and random variability. Furthermore, patients were usually taking other medication and in some studies there is a high drop out rate.

From the current evidence, the newer anticonvulsants cannot be recommended except in patients resistant to standard therapies. If controlled clinical trials confirm effectiveness, these agents may prove useful additional mood stabilisers.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. Nelson and D. A. Gray Anticonvulsant monitoring in psychiatric practice Psychiatr. Bull., September 1, 2001; 25(9): 356 - 358. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]