Beneficial effects of mood stabilizers lithium, valproate and lamotrigine in experimental stroke models. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The mood stabilizers lithium, valproate and lamotrigine are traditionally used to treat bipolar disorder. However, accumulating evidence suggests that these drugs have broad neuroprotective properties and may therefore be promising therapeutic agents for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including stroke. Lithium, valproate and lamotrigine exert protective effects in diverse experimental stroke models by acting on their respective primary targets, ie, glycogen synthase kinase-3, histone deacetylases and voltage-gated sodium channels, respectively. This article reviews the most recent findings regarding the underlying mechanisms of these phenomena, which will pave the way for clinical investigations that use mood stabilizers to treat stroke. We also propose several future research avenues that may extend our understanding of the benefits of lithium, valproate and lamotrigine in improving stroke outcomes.

publication date

  • November 7, 2011

Research

keywords

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Lithium Compounds
  • Stroke
  • Triazines
  • Valproic Acid

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC4010202

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 82955187985

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1038/leu.2011.167

PubMed ID

  • 22056617

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 32

issue

  • 12