What Is Lamotrigine?

Lamotrigine (marketed as Lamictal by GlaxoSmithKline) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994 as an anticonvulsant drug to treat epilepsy. In 2003, the FDA approved lamotrigine for the treatment of bipolar disorder. Lamotrigine is primarily categorized as an antiepileptic drug (AED), acting to reduce irregular levels of excitement in the brain.

Features

• The chemical makeup of lamotrigine is unlike other anticonvulsant or mood-regulating medications. Over the years, it has gained popularity for its ability to decrease the time between the episodes of depression and mania that are characteristic of bipolar disorder. Lamotrigine is principally intended for patients with bipolar I disorder. It is not considered to be effective during the time in which a patient is undergoing a concrete manic or depressive episode. This means that a patient has to be administered another type of medication to help him pull through such episodes.

Significance

• Although the medication is not intended to be used during acute episodes, lamotrigine is effective in deferring the frequency of mood episodes. Mood episodes of bipolar I are identified as being manic-depressive, manic, hypomania or mixed (which is depression and mania together).

Function

• The specific way that lamotrigine operates as a therapeutic agent in bipolar disorder is not clearly identified. We do know that a majority of mood stabilizers are simply antimanic agents; this means that they can be successful when it comes to dealing with dramatic mood shifts, but they tend to lack the ability to treat depression. Lamotrigine (like lithium) is considered to be an exception, as it can be helpful for preventing depression in bipolar patients. It acts to control the mania that consequently inhibits moods from cycling.

Potential

• Lamotrigine has shown effectiveness in treating other psychiatric conditions disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). The medication is also being prescribed to patients with schizo-affective disorder and unipolar depression. Lamotrigine may be used as part of a psychopharmacology regimen as determined by a psychiatrist.

Considerations & Effects

• Common side effects of Lamotrigine include dizziness, headache, insomnia, lack of coordination, lethargy, nausea, rash, tremors, visions disturbances and vomiting. Symptoms of an adverse reaction may include fever, hives, sores in the mouth or around the eyes, swelling of lips or tongue and swollen lymph glands. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience any of these effects.