Lamotrigine for Treating Anger in Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Lamotrigine is an antiepileptic drug that was Food and Drug Administration approved in 2003 for use in the maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder to delay the time to recurrence of new mood episodes. The mechanism by which lamotrigine achieves its therapeutic effect in the treatment of bipolar disorder is unknown. Here, we report on 2 Veterans with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) endorsing significant anger, aggression, and agitation, who were treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, but whose residual symptoms of anger and aggression were ultimately successfully managed with lamotrigine augmentation. The authors would like to make mental health providers aware of the impact that lamotrigine may have on PTSD symptomology, especially when used to treat anger and aggression in patients with PTSD.