Can mood stabilizers cause an increase in body temperature?

Generally speaking, whether mood stabilizers cause an increase in body temperature mainly depends on the type of mood stabilizer. Mood stabilizers are a category of medications used to treat mood disorders, primarily including anticonvulsant drugs and atypical antipsychotic drugs. If they are anticonvulsants, they usually do not cause an increase in body temperature. However, if they are atypical antipsychotics, they may lead to elevated body temperature. The detailed explanation is as follows:

Common anticonvulsant drugs include sodium valproate tablets, carbamazepine capsules, etc. These medications primarily act on brain neurons, preventing epileptic seizures by inhibiting excessive neuronal excitation. Their mechanisms of action are not directly related to the body's temperature-regulating center. At normal therapeutic doses, these drugs do not interfere with the hypothalamus' ability to regulate body temperature and therefore generally do not cause an increase in body temperature.

In contrast, atypical antipsychotic drugs, such as olanzapine tablets and risperidone tablets, mainly function by modulating neurotransmitter systems. Neurotransmitters are involved in the normal process of temperature regulation and may cause the hypothalamus to misinterpret the body's temperature status, resulting in reduced heat dissipation or increased heat production, thereby causing an elevation in body temperature.

It is recommended to strictly follow medical advice when using mood stabilizers and to avoid self-medication in order to ensure the safety and effectiveness of drug therapy.