Citation

Amaladoss A, Roberts N, Amaladoss F. Clin. Neuropharmacol. 2010; 33(6): 303-311.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Hotel Dieu Hospital; Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Queens University, Ontario, Canada; and Windsor University School of Medicine, St Kitts, Carribean.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/WNF.0b013e3181f8d4ed

PMID

21079456

Abstract

Mood stabilizers and anticonvulsants have been frequently used to control behaviors in children and adolescent with nonaffective disorders. The purpose of this study was to review the literature to evaluate the evidence of these agents as treatment options in this subset of patients. We reviewed all the literature between 1949 and 2009 on the use of anticonvulsants and mood stabilizers in controlling severe behavior dysregulation and aggression in child and adolescent who do not meet the criteria for any mood disorder. The review revealed a total of 19 studies. Of the different mood stabilizers/anticonvulsants, both lithium and divalproex showed some promise in treating children and adolescents with nonmood disorders. Larger studies are nevertheless needed to support the ongoing use of these current anticonvulsants and mood stabilizers in children and adolescents with nonmood disorders. Also, further investigation to the potential use in the long term would need to be established, bearing in mind the balance of side effects and treatment benefit.

Language: en