VIGABATRIN AND DEPRESSION

Ten patients who developed a major depressive episode in association w ith vigabatrin treatment for intractable epilepsy are reported. The de pression usually occurred early in the course of treatment, but when d elayed followed a recent increase in dose. Depressive symptoms occurre d at doses varying between 1.5 g and 4 g a day, often but not always w hen patients were experiencing a decrease in their seizure frequency. Most patients had a history of affective disturbance, sometimes in ass ociation with other GABAergic drugs. The observations support a possib le role for GABAergic mechanisms in the biology of mood disorders.