Mood Stabilizers

Question 0

What is the most well-known mood stabilizer?

Answer 0

Lithium

Question 1

What class of medications are used to prevent mood episodes in patients with bipolar disorder?

Answer 1

Mood stabilizers

Question 2

Depakote

Answer 2

Valproate

Question 3

Lamictal

Answer 3

Lamotrigine

Question 4

Tegretol

Answer 4

Carbamazepine

Question 5

Trileptal

Answer 5

Oxcarbazepine

Question 6

With regard to mechanism of action, how is lithium believed to impact serotonin and serotonin receptors?

Answer 6

It can decrease the presynaptic serotonin reuptake

It can increase postsynaptic serotonin receptor sensitivity

Question 7

With regard to mechanism of action, what type of signaling does lithium affect?

Answer 7

G-protein signaling

Question 8

With regard to mechanism of action, how does lithium impact inositol?

Answer 8

It can decrease inositol production by inhibiting inositol monophosphatase

Question 9

What other enzyme does lithium inhibit?

Answer 9

Glycogen synthase kinase 3b

Question 10

True or false: lithium has also been shown to affect adenylyl cyclase

Answer 10

True

Question 11

What are Valproate, Lamotrigine, carbamazepine, and Oxcarbazepine collectively known as?

Generally speaking, how did they influence neurons?

Answer 11

They are known as anticonvulsants

They primarily reduce the excitatory potential of neurons

Question 12

What are the two FDA approved indications for mood stabilizers?

Answer 12

Bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder (adjunctive therapy)

Question 13

What is the non-FDA approved use of mood stabilizers?

Answer 13

Anxiety

Question 14

Which three cardiovascular irregularities are seen as an adverse reaction of lithium use?

Answer 14

AV block, bradycardia, & flattened or inverted T-waves

Question 15

What 3 other adverse drug reactions are seen with lithium use?

Answer 15

Hypothyroidism

Hyperparathyroidism

Nephrotoxicity

Question 16

What are the four main adverse drug reactions seen with anticonvulsant use?

Answer 16

Hyponatremia – SIADH like syndrome

Thrombocytopenia

Hyperammonemia

Rash (Stevens-Johnson syndrome)

Question 17

Lithium should be used cautiously with which two medications?

What is the effect of the interaction and the recommendation if they are used together?

Answer 17

ACE inhibitors & angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)

These two medications increase the levels of lithium in the blood

When used together, monitor lithium levels and adjust dose as needed