Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:373-378
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
Lithium in the treatment of depression
J Mendels
The author reviews the studies of lithium as an antidepressant, evaluates
the evidence that there might be specific subgroup of patients for whom it
is effective, and reports a study he and his associates conducted that
found lithium to be effective for 13 of 21 depressed patients. He concludes
that there is convincing, although not conclusive, evidence for an
antidepressant effect of lithium and that only by identifying the subgroup
of patients for whom it is effective can the continuing uncertainty
surrounding lithium's role in affective disorder be resolved. He also calls
for a reevaluation of the relationship between mania and depression.
