Anti-Seizure Medications for Bipolar Disorder: A Comprehensive Overview

Bipolar disorder is difficult to live with, but it can be controlled with therapy and medication. Anti-seizure medication can help the overall mental health of patients by stabilizing the electrical activity and controlling the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain.

The Science

• Glutamate is a chemical that is stored in nerve cells and used to excite nerve cells. It is released when electrical signals build up in nerve cells and thus excite more nerve cells. Too much or too little of this chemical is believed to cause epilepsy and also mental instability.

Lamictal

• The most common anti-seizure drug used for bipolar patients is Lamictal. In generic form it is known as lamitrogine.

Lamictal Rash

• In some patients Lamictal may cause a serious skin rash which left untreated could lead to hospitalization and, in rare cases, death. The rash is most likely to appear within the first two to eight weeks of using the drug and it is more common in children and the elderly.

Trileptal

• Trileptal is another anti-seizure medication used for people with bipolar disorder, particularly if they have an allergic reaction to Lamictal

Other Anti-seizure Medications

• The anti-seizure drug types used to control bipolar disorder mostly fall under three categories. The valproate category includes medications like Depakote and Stavzor. The carbamezipine category includes Eptiol, Tegretol and Trileptal. The third catergory is lamitrogine, which includes Lamictal. Neurontin is another anti-seizure medication used for bipolar patients, which does not fit into one of the three categories.