Prophylactic lithium.

Electrocardiographic dose-dependent changes in prophylactic doses of dosulepine, lithium and citalopram.

Tricyclic antidepressant drugs dosulepine (TCA), serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and prophylactic agent with antidepressant effect lithium carbonicum (Li) have different cardiovascular side-effects. We compared them in the prophylactic therapy of periodic affective disorder in remission with TCA, SSRI and Li. Our previous papers confirmed the most prominent effects of heart electr...

Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in euthymic bipolar patients on prophylactic lithium therapy.

AIM The aim of the study was to evaluate serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in a group of euthymic bipolar patients on long-term prophylactic lithium treatment and to delineate putative relationships between lithium efficacy and BDNF concentrations. METHODS 141 euthymic bipolar patients (51 male, 90 female) on long-term lithium treatment were studied. Three categories of pr...

A long-term retrospective follow-up study of patients treated with prophylactic lithium carbonate.

Patients suffering from unipolar and bipolar affective illness, who began treatment with prophylactic lithium carbonate during a 5-year period, were followed up and 59 out of 101 interviewed. Most had been taking lithium for at least 13 years: 49% had a complete remission, 41% a partial but significant response, and 10% no response. No specific individual or illness factor was found to correlat...

Monitoring of patients in prophylactic lithium treatment. An assessment based on recent kidney studies.

Prophylactic effect of lithium in bipolar affective illness may be related to serotonin transporter genotype.

Serotonin transporter promoter length polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of mood disorders and in the therapeutic response to serotonergic drugs. In this study, the 5-HTTLPR was estimated in 67 patients with bipolar mood disorder, receiving lithium carbonate for prophylactic purposes for the period of more than 5 years (mean 15 years). The patients were divided into...