Keywords: Bipolar disorder / Anticonvulsants / Gabapentin / Lamotrigine.

After the introduction of selective antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics, which have contributed to ameliorate many mental disorders, such as affective disorders, it is now the turn of mood-stabilizers. In the meanwhile, lithium, followed by valproate and carbamazepine, are first-choice treatment for acute mania and maintenance therapy in bipolar disorder. However, new anticonvulsants, which have better farmacokinetic profile, may emerge as a good alternative choice. Gabapentin and lamotrigine, and zonisamide, topiramate and oxcarbazepine as well, seem to have a solid theoretical and empirical background to be prescribed in refractory patients, and, in the future, might become a first-choice treatment for bipolar patients if controlled studies confirm preliminary findings. Gabapentin and lamotrigine could be specially useful in patients with predominant depressive episodes, in contrast to classic anticonvulsant drugs. The only disadvantages of these drugs are the difficulties in finding the right dosage for gabapentin and the risk of serious rash for lamotrigine.

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