A mood stabilizer is a psychiatric medication used in the treatment mood disorders characterised by rapid and unstable mood shifts. These disorders include Borderline Personality Disorder, and bipolar disorder where they suppress swings between mania and depression. Most mood stabilizers are anticonvulsants.

Mood stabilizers include:

• Lithium carbonate - Monitor blood lithium levels (therapeutic range: 0.6 - 1.2 mEq/L) and look for signs and symptoms of toxicity (such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, ataxia).
• Valproic acid, divalproex sodium (Depakote^®), and sodium valproate (Depacon^®) - Available in extended release form. Can be very irritating to the stomach, especially when taken as valproic acid. Liver function and CBC should be monitored. Therapeutic drug monitoring is required.
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol^®) - CBC should be monitored; can lower white blood cell count. Therapeutic drug monitoring is required.
• Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal^®)
• Gabapentin (Neurontin^®)
• Lamotrigine (Lamictal^®) - Monitor for signs and symptoms of Stevens-Johnson's syndrome which can be fatal.
• Topiramate (Topamax^®)

Many antipsychotics also have mood stabilizing effects and are thus commonly prescribed even when psychotic symptoms are absent.

It is also conjectured that Omega-3 fatty acids may have a mood stabilizing effect. However, more research is needed to verify this (a multi-year study of this is now being carried out as of 2001).

References

• Manic-Depressive Illness by Frederick K. Goodwin and Kay Redfield Jamison.