The use of anticonvulsants to augment antidepressant medication
Dietrich, D.E.; Emrich, H.M.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 59(Suppl): 51-58
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0160-6689 PMID: 9635548 Document Number: 493405
Combination therapy that couples classical antidepressants with other psychoactive compounds is one of the major therapeutic strategies in therapy-resistant depression. The authors review reports on the antidepressive effects of the mood stabilizers carbamazepine and valproate and focus on the pharmacodynamic and clinical aspects of combining these compounds with antidepressant drugs. In addition, a pivotal study (N = 10 outpatients) demonstrates the use and efficacy of a low-dose combination therapy of carbamazepine and amitriptyline. It is concluded that low-dose combination of classical antidepressants and mood stabilizers appears to be well tolerated and highly effective.