title: Spotlight on lamotrigine for depression.
abstract: Augmentation strategy is an option for patients who do not respond to one or two adequate trials of antidepressant therapy and are considered treatment-resistant. A number of drugs have been proposed for this indication, including lamotrigine, an anticonvulsant that is also licensed for the treatment of bipolar I disorder. Three retrospective chart reviews provided preliminary evidence of efficacy. However, other studies have been very small open-label studies, with the exception of one randomized, double-blind study. Although these studies indicate that lamotrigine may be effective as augmentation therapy in treatment-resistant depression, larger controlled studies are required to confirm these initial findings and to provide evidence for its use in this indication.
authors.affiliation: Prous Science Medical Information Department, Barcelona, Spain. journals@prous.com
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McIntyre
authors.forename: Ma Angels
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moral
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D000077213:Lamotrigine; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014227:Triazines; D000077213:Lamotrigine