Abstract
Pathologic laughing and crying (PLC) is a common distressing and socially disabling condition in stroke patients. Antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have been increasingly recognized as the treatment of choice for pathologic crying (PC). However, little is known about etiologies and other treatment options for various clinical manifestations of PLC. This case report illustrates the beneficial effect of lamotrigine, a novel antiepileptic drug with antidepressant and mood-stabilizing properties in post-stroke PLC. A 60-year-old woman developed PLC after an ischemic stroke affecting the left frontal and temporal lobes. She was treated with lamotrigine initially at the dose of 50 mg a day, which was gradually increased to 100 mg a day over a 4-week period. There was a significant and rapid recovery in both laughing and crying components of PCL with lamotrigine treatment. The symptoms of pathologic laughing have shown a better response to lamotrigine than PC. Controlled investigations are needed to evaluate the beneficial as well as the differential effects of lamotrigine on PLC.
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