Authors: McElroy, et al.
Title: A 52-week, open-label continuation study of Lamictal in the treatment of bipolar depression.
Reference: J Clin Psychiatry 2004;65:204-10.
Purpose: To evaluate lamotrigine efficacy in the acute treatment of depression.
Study design: Open-label, voluntary continuation study of a prior 7-week, double-blinded, monotherapy study. 
Follow up: 1 year.
Patients: 124 patients entered the continuation study.
Treatment: Lamotrigine 100–500 mg/day with concomitant medication permitted (lamotrigine as adjunctive therapy or monotherapy).
Results: A significant and sustained improvement in MADRS scores from baseline occured with lamotrigine treatment. The remission rate was 81.4%, with a median time to remission of less than 4 weeks, in the lamotrigine group. Episodes of mania or hypomania were also reduced compared with the year preceding lamotrigine treatment. Headache was the most common adverse event observed with lamotrigine.

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