Antipsychotic effects of lithium in schizophrenia
Abstract
The lithium carbonate therapy of 13 psychotic schizophrenic patients was evaluated in a placebo-controlled three-week study that was double- blind. Seven of the 13 patients were less psychotic while receiving lithium; 4 of these 7 patients relapsed after lithium withdrawal. Patients who improved during the third week on lithium could be differentiated from nonresponders on the basis of their improvement during the first week. Clinical factors such as diagnosis, prognosis, and symptoms failed to predict responders from nonresponders. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first controlled study to yield positive results with schizophrenic patients treated with lithium alone.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).