Carbamazepine lowers aggression: a review.
J. L. Young and M. Hillbrand,
Bull. Amer. Acad. Psychiatry & the Law
22(1): 53-61, 1994.
A small but growing number of reports document the antiaggressive effect of carbamazepine.
Although it is supported by a small total number of patients studied with less than ideal rigor, the
use of this medication as a means of reducing aggressive behavior is becoming an established
clinical practice. The target diagnostic spectrum is broad, and the effect appears within days when
it occurs. To promote both wider practice and further study, the authors summarize and briefly
evaluate the reported investigations, single case studies, and articles related to the efficacy of
carbamazepine for reducing aggression. Conceptual problems in aggression research, the
relationships between epilepsy and aggression, possible mechanisms of action for this effect of
carbamazepine, and practical clinical considerations are outlined. [References: 72]