How Does Lamictal Work on Depression?
Function Lamictal is the brand name for lamotrigine, an anticonvulsant medication primarily used to control epilepsy. Although preventing seizures was its original purpose, the Food and Drug Administration approved it in 2003 for treating bipolar disorder– particularly the depressive phase and rapid cycling between moods. According to eMed TV, Lamictal has also shown some promise in treating people who suffer from unipolar depression, although it isn’t yet approved for this purpose. It’s especially helpful for patients who haven’t responded to other depression medication. Method Lamictal works by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain. Although the exact mechanism isn’t known, doctors suspect that its effects are caused by reducing glutamate in the brain. Glutamate acts as a nerve-exciting substance that’s released in the brain when electrical signals have built up in nerve cells. This process actually excites more nerve cells, which is believed to trigger epileptic seizures and may
