[Lithium salts in manic-depressive psychoses (cyclophrenia)]

In psychiatry, lithium salts are used alone, or in combination with neuroleptics, in the treatment of manic states and in the prophylaxis of manic or melancholic relapses in cyclophrenia. They are also used by some clinicians to prevent relapses of melancholia. To be efficient, the blood level of lithium must be between 0,8 and 1,2 mEq/liter in chronic treatment, and much higher in acute treatment. Side effects can be present, but do not warrant to stop the treatment; meanwhile there are signs of intoxication which necessitate immediate treatment interruption. This medication should be given to motivated patients, of normal intelligence, suffering from repeated states of mania or melancholia, because it is a long term treatment requiring constant supervision.