Shared mechanisms of antidepressant and antiepileptic treatments: drugs and devices.
Many treatments for the epilepsies and affective disorder share the properties of seizure suppression and mood stabilization. Moreover, affective disorders and the epilepsies appear to share partially similar pathogenic mechanisms. A component of the shared predisposition appears to arise from noradrenergic and serotonergic deficits. Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that noradrenergic and/or serotonergic elevation is a mechanism of therapeutic benefit shared by most antidepressants and many antiepileptic medications. Medication induced alterations in GABAergic, glutamatergic, and CRH (corticotropin releasing hormone) containing neurons may also contribute to the shared therapeutic properties of antidepressant and antiepileptic medications.
Jobe
Phillip C
PC
Department of Biomedical and Therapeutic Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine, PO Box 1649, Peoria, Illinois 61656-1649, USA. pcj@uic.edu
D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents