Carbamazepine and mood: evidence from patients with seizure disorders.

The author reviews the use of carbamazepine in the treatment of epilepsy. The so-called psychotropic effects of carbamazepine were first described after the introduction of the drug to clinical practice in the mid-1960s, and since, several investigators have found relationships between carbamazepine and mood variables in seizure disorder patients. Results of investigations at the National Hospitals, London, suggest that carbamazepine influences behavior disorders, anxiety, and depression in patients with epilepsy. Mechanisms of these psychotropic effects are discussed, including the influence of carbamazepine on limbic-kindled seizures and metabolic effects of the drug. Differences between carbamazepine and other anticonvulsants with regard to effects on mood and behavior are presented.