BACKGROUND Use of valproate in pregnancy, especially in doses over 1000mg a day, is known to be associated with a higher risk for major congenital malformations compared with other antiepileptic drugs. We sought to investigate whether the increased risk could be minimised by using controlled release or divided daily doses of valproate. METHODS The UK Epilepsy and Pregnancy Register is a prosp...

BACKGROUND Valproate is one of the most used mood stabilisers for bipolar disorder, although the evidence for the effectiveness of valproate is sparse. AIMS To compare the effect of valproate v. lithium for treatment of bipolar disorder in clinical practice. METHOD An observational cohort study with linkage of nationwide registers of all people with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in psychi...

Over the last few years, the use of valproate in psychiatry has increased considerably. With the advent of oral loading dose strategy, its role in rapid treatment of acute mania has been demonstrated. The intravenous formulation of valproate, while retaining the rapidity of action of oral loading, also avoids some of the adverse effects of the oral preparation. Moreover, reports are pouring in ...

TO THE EDITOR Hair loss or hair color change in patients taking valproate has been repeatedly reported. However, drug-induced hair texture changes have been reported rarely. Curly hair is a very rare side effect of valproate. Valproate is recommended for the acute treatment of mania and maintenance of bipolar disorder as a mood stabilizer. Valproate can be used also in the treatment of epilepsy...

In patients with bipolar disorder, recent brain imaging studies have reported cingulate cortex volume change. We performed a volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study to assess the subregions of the cingulate gyrus; left anterior cingulate (LAC), left posterior cingulate (LPC), right anterior cingulate (RAC), and right posterior cingulate (RPC). Our sample consisted of bipolar patients ...

The mechanisms underlying the acute and prophylactic antimanic properties of valproate have remained elusive. There are some reports that treatment with valproic acid may increase brain serotonergic neurotransmission in the rodent. This study was carried out in order to investigate the effects of subchronic therapy with valproate on central serotonin metabolism in manic patients. Toward this en...

Valproate is an anticonvulsive drug whose mechanism of action is based on GABAergic systems. One of the infrequent adverse effects of valproate is choreiform movements. In our study, we report a patient having head trauma history with partial and secondary generalized seizures taking 1500 mg/day valproate. During the second month of the therapy, generalized chorea was observed. Since other aeti...

Valproate is an important anticonvulsant currently in clinical use for the treatment of seizures. We used electrophysiological and tracer uptake methods to examine the effect of valproate on a -aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter (mouse GAT3) expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In the absence of GABA, valproate (up to 50 mM) had no noticeable effect on the steady-state electrogenic properties...

A case of severe sodium valproate overdose is presented in which continuous venovenous haemodiafiltration was used. However, following the commencement of dialysis and a fall in the serum valproate levels, the patient developed cerebral oedema. This case demonstrated a poor correlation between serum valproate and its toxic effects and the lack of benefit of continuous venovenous haemodiafiltrat...

4. Siemes H, Nau H. Valproate associated hepatotoxicity pathogenesis, clinical aspects, therapy and prevention. Klin Pediatr 1991, 203: 411-419. 5. Dollery Q, Sodium valproate. In: Therapeutic Drugs. London, Churchill Living stone, 1991, pp 563-568. 6. Kondo T, Kaneko S. Otani K, et al. Association between risk factors for valproate hepatotoxicity and altered valproate metabolism. Epilepsia 199...