Abstract

Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant which is extensively used in patients with bipolar disorder as a mood stabilizer. Although carbamazepine affects dopamine, norepinephrine and glutamic acid levels in neurons, it mainly shows its effect on sodium and potassium channels. Carbamazepine enhances dopamine release and turnover and leads to differential alterations of monoamine levels in discrete brain regions. The mechanism of the emergence of prolonged erection and priapism is related to α1 adrenergic blockage in corpus cavernosum, however knowledge about the effects of carbamazepine on adrenergic receptors is very limited. Therefore, further studies are necessary to identify the risk for prolonged erection in patients treated with carbamazepine and to investigate the relationship between prolonged erection and carbamazepine.

Key words: carbamazepine, priapism, bipolar adisorder