Posted by SLS on August 18, 2006, at 19:29:17
In reply to Re: Please help... Bi-Polar Son... » SLS, posted by linkadge on August 18, 2006, at 16:36:11
> Perhaps in terms of efficacy no, but statsically people are much more likely to take their lives on depakote than they are lithium.
>
> http://biopsychiatry.com/litheff.htm
>
> Who knows why, but probably due to augmentation of serotonergic function (?)Perhaps it acts, in part, to make the person more passive. Suicide is an act that is often fueled by aggression and impulsivity.
I think which of the two drugs is ultimately to be found effective will be dependent upon which subtype of bipolar disorder is being treated. I don't know how easy this is to discern in pediatric cases. Perhaps this is why it makes sense to treat first with the combination, since each seems better suited for one of the two major subtypes.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:677083
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060818/msgs/677907.html