ABSTRACT
The effectiveness of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), particularly valproate, carbamazepine, and lamotrigine, as mood stabilizers in bipolar disorder has been thoroughly documented over the past 30 years (1). However, the value of these agents in unipolar major depression is less well established and no AED is currently approved for this indication. Moreover, very few rigorous controlled trials have been conducted with these agents in samples of patients with unipolar depression (2). Nevertheless, the results of a number of studies suggest that some AEDs, including carbamazepine, valproate, phenytoin, lamotrigine, topiramate, gabapentin, and tiagabine, may have antidepressant effects in unipolar patients.
