Behavioral Effects of Carbamazepine after Single and Repeated Administration in Emotionally Labile Subjects

Abstract

The sample investigated consisted of two groups of emotionally labile healthy male subjects who were given either 100 mg/day of the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine (n = 16) or placebo (n = 16) for 8 days. Subjects were selected on the basis of their scores in the neuroticism scale of the Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI-A: N score S≥6). By means of an extensive test battery (ratings of emotional state, emotional reactivity tests, performance tests, physiological parameters) at day 1 and day 8 of ingestion the psychotropic effects of carbamazepine were evaluated as well as the differences in effects after single and repeated administration. Behavioral effects could be demonstrated for carbamazepine after single administration, but the differences found were rather small and limited to four parameters. After several days of administration carbamazepine revealed clear effects on psychological parameters. It is concluded that a drug like carbamazepine needs more than a single administration to be effective in psychological tests, in contrast to tranquilizing, sedating, neuroleptic and stimulating drugs. Carbamazepine has this characteristic common with antidepressant drugs. The experiment demonstrated that carbamazepine is a drug which under the chosen dose level conditions has a positive influence on subjective emotional states, e.g. reduction of deactivation and emotional tension (anxiousness).

Effects of chronic use of carbamazepine and valproate on cognitive processes

“…A similar tendency was evident in the simple reaction time task. These data are consistent with several reports, all indicating that CBZ increases motor speed (13,(30)(31)(32)(33). Our present findings also indicate that CBZ may have a positive influence on this parameter.…”

Antikonvulsiva und ihre psychischen Wirkungen - eine Übersicht

“…Hier schnitt CBZ hinsichtlich der Zielsymptome Aggressivität und Impulsivität gleich gut wie das Neuroleptikum und besser als die K~ntrol~en a~. Anzeichen für eine Besserung der Stimmung, Angstllchkelt und damit eine größere Soziabilität, konnte außer bei Kindern (Groh 1971, Ruiz-Castano 1972, auch bei ..emotional labilen" jungen Männern gefunden werden (Janke 1983).…”