Thirty-five detoxified alcoholics given lithium in a placebo-
controlled, double-blind study reported less intoxication, a decrease in
the desire to continue drinking, and less cognitive dysfunction when
challenged by standardized doses of ethanol. Lithium also appeared to
antagonize the ethanol-induced decrement in cognitive and perceptual motor
performance. No differential lithium effect was noted when alcoholics were
divided by diagnoses of affective disorder versus no affective disorder.
The authors suggest that, in addition to mood normalization, lithium's
capacity to directly affect ethanol intoxication may help explain its
potential therapeutic efficacy in alcoholism, providing further
confirmatory evidence that lithium may be useful in the treatment of
alcoholism.Abstract Teaser