Clinical Experience Using Adjunctive Gabapentin in Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Mixed States

Abstract

These results show that gabapentin appears to be potentially useful in the adjunctive treatment of drug-resistant bipolar mixed states, and that it was particularly effective in relation to depressive symptomatology.

Adjunctive gabapentin in patients with intellectual disability and bipolar spectrum disorders

“…The latter observations, like the findings of the present study, are apparently in contrast with the case reports mentioned above. However, it should be considered that several open trials carried out recently to assess the efficacy of add‐on GBP therapy have demonstrated a greater efficacy of GBP on depressive than on manic symptoms in bipolar patients and in mixed states (Perugi et al 1999). Furthermore, the patients enrolled in the present study were all taking neuroleptics, whilst this was not so for subjects assessed in the case reports reported in literature.…”

Alternatives to lithium and divalproex in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder

“…Data on the use of gabapentin in bipolar patients are derived mainly from small, open‐label trials (9, 34–39). While it appears to be a very safe agent with marked potential for use as an anxiolytic and also possesses useful sedative properties, the efficacy of this drug as a mood stabilizer is largely unknown at this time (9).…”

Gabapentin augmentation therapy in bipolar depression

“…Five patients had partial (HDRSdecreased 25–50%) and three marked (HDRS decreased 50%) responses (30). Two of three studies of open adjunctive GBP in mixed states suggested antidepressant, but not antimanic, efficacy [(32, 33), but not (26)]. We thus explored the safety and efficacy of open adjunctive GBP in bipolar depression.…”