Mood Stabilizers
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Overview
Mood stabilizers are a class of medications primarily used to treat bipolar disorder. They help control the extreme mood swings characteristic of bipolar disorder, reducing both manic episodes and depressive episodes, and preventing relapse.
How do mood stabilizers work?
The exact mechanism of mood stabilizers like lithium is not fully understood, but lithium is thought to modulate neurotransmitter systems at multiple levels. It inhibits inositol monophosphatase (IMPase), depleting inositol and attenuating phosphatidylinositol signaling. It also inhibits glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), which affects gene expression, neuroplasticity, and circadian rhythms. Additionally, lithium has neuroprotective effects, increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and gray matter volume.
Drugs in this class
- Lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith)