Prophylactic Lithium: Double Blind Discontinuation in Manic-Depressive and Recurrent-Depressive Disorders

Steady‐state pharmacokinetics of lithium carbonate in healthy subjects.

“…Lithium is now widely used for the prophylaxis of manic-depressive illness and its efficacy is well established (Baastrup et al, 1970;Prien et al, 1973). Our knowledge of lithium pharmacokinetics comes mainly from single-dose studies, many of which have serious methodological shortcomings including diagnostic heterogeneity of the sample, infrequent blood sampling and lack of information about concomitant drug use (Shaw et al, 1974;Tyrer et al, 1976;Bennie etal., 1977).…”

The effect of lithium salts on the urinary excretion of α‐oxoglutarate in man

“…The therapeutic efficacy of lithium ions in some manic depressive psychoses seems well established (Baastrup, Poulsen, Schou, Thomsen & Amdisen, 1970; Coppen, Noguera, Bailey, Burns, Swani, Hare, Gardner & Maggs, 1971;Hanna, Jenner, Pearson, Sampson & Thompson, 1972). The mode of action is, however, still obscure.…”

Changed Concentrations of Tachykinins and Neuropeptide Y in Brain of a Rat Model of Depression Lithium Treatment Normalizes Tachykinins

“…In lithium-treated normal rats, increased striatal concentrations of neurokinin A (NKA)-like immunoreactivity (LI), substance P (SP-LI) and neuropeptide Y (NPY-LI) have been reported. To investigate whether these effects might be of therapeutic relevance, Flinders Sensitive Line rats (FSL),Lithium, reintroduced in psychiatry 50 years ago, is highly effective in the treatment of mania as well as long-term prophylaxis of bipolar disorder (Baastrup et al 1970). Although the acute actions of lithium to reduce signaling through the phosphoinositol-protein kinase C and cyclic AMP protein kinase A second messenger systems are well documented (Mørk 1990; Lenox and Watson 1994; Manji and Lenox 1999; Manji et al 1995 Manji et al , 1999, the mechanisms underlying the mood-stabilizing actions of lithium have not been fully elucidated.…”