--as an anti-seizure medication (as was Lyrica)--an anti-epileptic, if you will.

Both are designed to upregulate inhibitory neural transmitter levels in order to stop damaging overpropogation of neural impulses, such as happens in seizures, and in situations in which nerves are damaged and can't stop firing, which is why they are used for neuropathy so often.

But certainly, both these drugs act with different mechanisms than the standard anti-depressants, which are designed to keep more of the feel good neurotransmitters at the neural synapses (and/or inhibit the enzymes that break those neurotransmitters down).