Agomelatine May Alleviate Valproate-Induced Hair Loss

The document reports a case where agomelatine, an antidepressant, may have alleviated hair loss induced by valproate, a mood stabilizer. Valproate is known to cause hair loss in approximately 12% of patients. The case involved a 27-year-old male patient with bipolar II disorder who experienced hair loss while on valproate therapy. After agomelatine was added to his treatment for depressive symptoms, the patient observed a cessation of hair loss and the emergence of new hair growth. This improvement was based solely on the patient's observation, as there were no objective measurement methods used to confirm it. The document suggests that agomelatine's stimulation of melatonin receptors might play a role in alleviating hair loss. However, the authors acknowledge that this is a single case report and recommend further studies to investigate the effect of agomelatine on medication-induced hair loss.