In several small , single-site RCTs , valproate and sulthiame were better than placebo for the management of recurrent aggression .
Conclusions : Currently available RCTs do not support the efficacy of anticonvulsants as mood stabilizers in children .
There is some preliminary evidence from small RCTs of the efficacy of some anticonvulsants in the control of aggression and behavioral dyscontrol in conduct disorder , autism , and intellectual disability
Aim : Anticonvulsant medications are frequently used in clinical practice to treat psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents , but the evidence for their efficacy is uncertain .
We conducted a systematic review of published r and omized controlled trials ( RCT ) that assessed the psychiatric benefit of anticonvulsants  in patients under 18 years of age .
A double-blind randomized pilot study comparing quetiapine and divalproex for adolescent mania.
OBJECTIVE To determine the comparative efficacy of quetiapine and divalproex for the treatment of adolescent mania . METHOD Fifty adolescents ( ages 12 - 18 years ) with bipolar I disorder , manic or mixed episode , were r and omized to quetiapine ( 400 - 600 mg/day ) or divalproex ( serum level 80 - 120 microg/mL ) for 28 days for this double-blind study , which was conducted from July 2002 through January 2004 . The primary efficacy measure was change in Young Mania Rating Scale ( YMRS ) score across the study period . RESULTS Repeated measures analysis of variance using the last-observation carried forward data indicated no statistically significant group difference in YMRS scores across the 28 days of the study ( p = 0.3 ) . Mixed regression analyses ( comparison of slopes ) revealed that improvement in YMRS scores occurred more rapidly in the quetiapine than in the divalproex group for both the last-observation carried forward ( p = 0.01 ) and observed data ( p = 0.03 ) . Response and remission rates were significantly greater in the quetiapine than in the divalproex group ( p < .03 ) . Rates of adverse events did not differ significantly between groups . CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that quetiapine is at least as effective as divalproex in the treatment of acute manic symptoms associated with adolescent bipolar disorder ; however , a quicker reduction of manic symptoms may occur with quetiapine as compared with divalproex . Quetiapine may be useful as monotherapy for the treatment of adolescents with manic or mixed episodes , although placebo-controlled studies are necessary
In several small , single-site RCTs , valproate and sulthiame were better than placebo for the management of recurrent aggression .
Conclusions : Currently available RCTs do not support the efficacy of anticonvulsants as mood stabilizers in children .
There is some preliminary evidence from small RCTs of the efficacy of some anticonvulsants in the control of aggression and behavioral dyscontrol in conduct disorder , autism , and intellectual disability
Aim : Anticonvulsant medications are frequently used in clinical practice to treat psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents , but the evidence for their efficacy is uncertain .
We conducted a systematic review of published r and omized controlled trials ( RCT ) that assessed the psychiatric benefit of anticonvulsants  in patients under 18 years of age .