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Bupropion's prophylactic efficacy in bipolar affective illness.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|May 1, 1983
Summary
Bupropion may prevent manic or depressive episodes in bipolar disorder patients. In a 1-year study, patients on bupropion alone showed no recurrences, but stopping the drug led to relapse within 8 weeks.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness) is a recurrent mood disorder.
- Current maintenance treatments for bipolar disorder include mood stabilizers and antipsychotics.
- Bupropion is an antidepressant with a different mechanism of action than traditional mood stabilizers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential prophylactic effect of bupropion in bipolar disorder.
- To assess bupropion's efficacy as a monotherapy for maintenance treatment in bipolar patients.
Main Methods:
- Case study of three patients with bipolar disorder.
- Patients received bupropion for acute depressive relapse.
- Maintenance treatment with bupropion monotherapy for 1 year.
- Observation of affective recurrences after medication discontinuation.
Main Results:
- All three patients responded to bupropion for acute depression.
- No manic or depressive recurrences were observed during 1 year of bupropion maintenance.
- Recurrences of mania or depression occurred within 8 weeks of bupropion discontinuation in all cases.
Conclusions:
- Bupropion may possess prophylactic properties against affective recurrences in bipolar disorder.
- Bupropion warrants further investigation as a maintenance treatment option for bipolar disorder.
- This suggests a potential alternative to current maintenance chemotherapy for recurrent affective disorders.