Master Lamotrigine with Picmonic for Medicine

Lamotrigine is an anticonvulsant medication used to treat simple and complex partial seizures, as well as generalized tonic-clonic seizures. This drug has mood stabilizing properties, as it is also approved for use as a maintenance therapy in bipolar type I disorder. Off label indications for lamotrigine include neuropathies, migraine and personality disorders. These drugs work by blocking voltage-sensitive Na⁺ channels, thereby stabilizing neuronal membranes, and consequently modulating presynaptic transmitter release of glutamate and aspartate, which are excitatory amino acids (glutamate is a precursor to GABA). Lamotrigine use is associated with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which is a severe, life-threatening drug reaction characterized by hypersensitivity complexes, leading to skin and mucous membrane desquamation.