If you take gabapentin, you or your family should tell the doctor about any unusual changes in your mood, such as agitation, violence, aggression, depression, or talking about wanting to hurt yourself. Gabapentin is a nerve pain medication and anticonvulsant that has proven to be effective for people who have hard-to-treat depression or other mood disorders. Objective: Gabapentin is commonly used off-label in the treatment of psychiatric disorders with success, failure, and controversy. A systematic review of the literature was performed to elucidate the evidence for clinical benefit of gabapentin in psychiatric disorders. The insights gained from studying gabapentin’s emotional effects might even lead to breakthroughs in understanding mood disorders and developing new therapies. So, while gabapentin might indeed be reshaping the emotional landscape for some of its users, this journey of discovery is reshaping our understanding of the brain-emotion connection. In our search we used the following keywords through electronic databases, PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE: 1) Gabapentin, 2) Gabapentin AND Bipolar Disorder, 3) Gabapentin AND Major Depressive Disorder “MDD,” 4) Gabapentin AND Anxiety Disorder, 5) Gabapentin AND Mood Disorder, 6) Gabapentin AND Posttraumatic Stress Disorder “PTSD,” 7 But gabapentin’s potential doesn’t stop at anxiety. It’s also making waves in the treatment of mood disorders. While it’s not typically a first-line treatment for depression, some patients with bipolar disorder have found relief from mood swings when gabapentin is added to their treatment regimen. Although gabapentin was traditionally used to treat seizures, it is now sometimes used as a mood stabilizer for depression and bipolar disorder because it calms neurons in the brain, and it may be effective for anxiety too. RESULTS. Bipolar Disorder. The randomized controlled trials 19 –21 investigating gabapentin for treating bipolar disorder indicate it is likely to be ineffective. Data interpretation is difficult: dosing varies by trial, gabapentin is used as both monotherapy and adjunctive therapy, patients have heterogeneous diagnoses, and primary outcomes differ between studies. Additionally, gabapentin is prescribed off-label to treat conditions like fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, migraine prophylaxis, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), refractory chronic cough and postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms. Outpatient prescription of gabapentin for FDA-approved indications (i.e., partial-onset seizures and postherpetic neuralgia) was less than 1%, and depression and anxiety disorders were the most frequent psychiatric diagnoses among off-label users. Previously presumed to have a low abuse and misuse potential, gabapentin has been commonly prescribed for the treatment of anxiety disorders. 10, 11 While pregabalin has shown efficacy for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in two RCTs, 12, 13 the authors could find no such RCTs done for gabapentin. 9 One randomized, double-blind, placebo Furthermore, other measurements of mood, depression, anger-hostility, fatigue, and physical functioning were more effectively managed with gabapentin compared to a placebo. During the same time, Backonja et al reviewed the effect of gabapentin in 165 diabetic neuropathy patients. As we’ve seen, bipolar disorder is an off-label use for gabapentin. And after decades of research, experts do not recommend gabapentin as a treatment for bipolar disorder. The treatment for bipolar disorder uses a combination of medications, including mood stabilizers, other Gabapentin is commonly used off-label in the treatment of psychiatric disorders with success, failure, and controversy. A systematic review of the literature was performed to elucidate the evidence for clinical benefit of gabapentin in psychiatric disorders. Conclusion: Gabapentin appears to be some-what effective as add-on treatment in a subgroup of patients with mood disorders in a naturalistic setting. Prospective, controlled studies are re-quired to clarify these pilot data. Received Oct. 3, 1997; accepted Jan. 12, 1998. Gabapentin is often used in combination with other mood stabilizers or psychiatric medications to provide more comprehensive treatment for bipolar disorder. It can be particularly effective in reducing the frequency and intensity of mood swings, as well as improving overall mood stability. While gabapentin is sometimes used in an attempt to treat mood disorders like depression, there is no clear evidence backed by high-quality studies that supports its effectiveness in this regard. Some reports suggest that gabapentin can exacerbate mood issues and has been linked to depressive symptoms, highlighting a complex relationship It may help alleviate symptoms such as persistent sadness, loss of interest, and emotional numbness. By affecting neurotransmitters, gabapentin might help improve mood and overall emotional well-being. Bipolar Disorder. Gabapentin is also used to manage bipolar disorder, mainly when mood stabilizers or antipsychotic medications are not sufficient. Systematic reviews of gabapentin treatment in psychiatric and/or substance use disorders showed inconclusive evidence for efficacy in BD, but possible efficacy for some anxiety disorders [9, 10 Uses of Gabapentin in mood disorders. Gabapentin, an anticonvulsant medication, has been found to be effective in the treatment of various mood disorders. It is commonly prescribed to patients who suffer from bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. One of the main uses of Gabapentin in mood disorders is to stabilize and regulate mood swings.
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