[Treatment of affective disorders with clonazepam]

On the basis of the hypothetical utility of clonazepam (CLN) for the treatment of affective disorders, by means of previous references and etiopathogenic hypothesis like the Kindling phenomenon we have been developing a study in order to evaluate that usefulness and efficacy which, includes 32 patients with affective disorders; 23 of them with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (manic) the greatest part of the subjects had been previously treated with lithium antidepressants or neuroleptics, and clonazepam was introduced because of an inadequate response, treatment intolerance or searching for a specific effect. Our results suggest a prevalence of partial and good responses (85%) The same in the objective evaluations as in the subjective ones being the levels of response higher than in previous treatments. The study supports the use of CLN in the treatment of patients who suffer from affective disorders, particularly in hypomanic episodes.