Lamotrigine - what else don’t we know about it? Unobvious uses of the drug based on clinical cases Case report

Abstract

Lamotrigine is an antiepileptic and mood stabilizer widely used in neurology and psychiatry, both for its primary neurological indication – the treatment of epilepsy – and for its primary psychiatric indication – the treatment of bipolar disorder. Its mood stabilizing effects include preventing relapses of depression and mania and stabilizing rapid cycling. In acute depressive episodes, the drug may prove effective due to its additional antidepressant effect. Beyond these indications, however, there are a number of other situations in which lamotrigine may provide clinical benefits. Therefore, this article will address these applications of lamotrigine, discussing individual clinical cases and referencing the literature and research results confirming its efficacy in a given indication. We emphasize that clinical cases involve off-label use, which must be medically justified and reflected in the patient’s documentation. It must also be preceded by providing the patient with full information about the potential benefits and risks, as well as obtaining their consent. Although these indications are not registered indications for the drug, we decided to discuss them due to the large amount of scientific evidence confirming the benefits of such use, as well as our own observations from clinical practice.