Virtually every new anticonvulsant has been promoted as being helpful for bipolar mania.  However, none of the above have any significant amount of evidence to support these speculations.  Despite this total lack of evidence, thousands of psychiatrists were influence by drug companies sales representatives and dozens of irresponsible "open trials" of gabapentin (Neurontin) and topiramate (Topamax) to prescribe these useless, expensive, and potentially harmful medications to tens of thousands of patients across the U.S. between 2000 and 2003.  The manufacturer of Neurontin was fined $200,000,000 by the FDA, the largest fine in FDA history, for their "dirty deed."  Many patients suffered side-effects without any benefit and all were deprived a chance to try some useful treatment for bipolar disorder.  Undoubtedly, a few deaths needlessly occurred.  Hopefully, this ugly episode in the history of psychiatry is past.  Hopefully, psychiatrists have learned not to prescribe medications without carefully done double-blind studies to support their efficacy.  Research should only be done with a patient's signed consent and with a supervising Institutional Review Board to guarantee minimum safeguards.  These minimum precautions are not a costly endeavor.

Phenytoin (Dilantin) is the only one of the above seizure medications proven to have mood stabilization effects in at least small double-blind studies.