Gabapentin in the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

Gabapentin, a relatively new anti-epileptic drug (liED), is emerging as a therapeutic option JOr treatment refractory and rapid-cycling bipolar illnesses. Pharmacotherapy JOr bipolar disorders traditionally involves oalproate, carbamazapine, or lithium, drugs which are associated with numerous adverse effects. Conversely, gabapentin has an attractive pharmacokinetics profile and relativelyjew side effects. There are no large randomizedcontrolled clinical trials to date examining gabapentin's role in moodstabilization. However, informal reports have cited encouraging results in up to 80 % ifpatients and general tolerance to side ifJects. Thesefindings make the new drug a possible choicefor patients who haveJailed to respond to traditional agents or developed sideeffects which interfere with medication compliance. METHODOLOGY A literatu re search of th e Med line and Silver Platter dat ab ases was performed. English langu age art icles pu blish ed be tween 1990-1997 were reviewed. Keyword