Pharmacopsychiatry 1999; 32(6): 255-257
DOI: 10.1055/s-1999-7958
Case Report
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Gabapentin Leads to Remission of Somatoform Pain Disorder with Major Depression

I. Maurer, H. Volz, H. Sauer
  • Department of Psychiatry, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
31. Dezember 1999 (online)

Gabapentin, a novel antiepileptic drug, is effective in the treatment of partial seizures with and without secondary generalization. Evidence suggests that it may have mood-stabilizing and possibly antidepressant properties in bipolar depression. We report on a 48-year-old woman who had recurrent major depressive disorder. Following inguinal herniorrhaphy, she developed severe stabbing pain in the lower abdomen and inguinal area that progressed to constant pain in her whole body. She was depressive, hopeless, and had given up her social activities. A diagnosis of major depressive disorder and somatoform pain disorder was made. Antidepressants and carbamazepine were ineffective, and she had attempted suicide. Gabapentin resulted in remission of both the pain and the depressive mood at a dose of 1.800 mg/day.

References

  • 1 Shimoyama M, Shimoyama N, Inturrisi C E, Elliott K J. Gabapentin enhances the antinociceptive effects of spinal morphine in the rat tail flick test.  Pain. 1997;  72 375-382
  • 2 Hunter J C, Gogas K R, Hedley L R, Jacobson L O, Kassotakis L, Thompson J, Fontana D J. The effect of novel antie epileptic drugs in rat experimental models of acute and chronic pain.  Eur. J. Pharmacol.. 1997;  324 153-160
  • 3 Mellick L B, Mellick G A. Successful treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy with gabapentin.  Am. J. Emerg. Med.. 1995;  13 96
  • 4 Rosner H, Rubin L, Kestenbaum A. Gabapentin adjunctive therapy in neuropathic pain states.  Clin. J. Pain.. 1996;  12 56-58
  • 5 Sist T, Filadora V, Miner M, Lema M. Gabapentin for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia: Report of two cases.  Neurology. 1997;  48 1467-1471
  • 6 Segal A Z, Rordorf G. Gabapentin as a novel treatment for postherpetic neuralgia.  Neurology. 1996;  46 1175-1176
  • 7 Dimond K R, Pande A C, Lamoreaux L, Pierce M W. Effect of gabapentin (Neurontin) on mood and well-being in patients with epilepsy.  Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry. 1996;  20 407-417
  • 8 Short C, Cooke L. Hypomania induced by gabapentin.  Br. J. Psychiatry. 1995;  166 679-680
  • 9 Young L T, Robb J C, Patelis-Siotis I, MacDonald C, Joffe R T. Acute treatment of bipolar depression with gabapentin.  Biol. Psychiatry. 1997;  42 851-853
  • 10 McLean M J. Gabapentin.  Epilepsia. 1995;  36 (suppl 2) -86
  • 11 Ben-Menachem E, Persson L I, Hedner T. Selected CSF biochemistry and gabapentin concentrations in the CSF and plasma in patients with partial seizures after a single dose of gabapentin.  Epilepsy Res.. 1992;  11 45-49

MD I. Maurer,

Department of Psychiatry

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität

Philosophenweg 3

D-07740 Jena

Germany

eMail: maurer@landgraf.med.uni-jena.de

    >