Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Lithium-discontinuation-induced refractoriness: preliminary observations.

R M Post1, G S Leverich, L Altshuler

  • 1Biological Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.

The American Journal of Psychiatry
|December 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary

Lithium prophylaxis for bipolar disorder can lose effectiveness after discontinuation and reintroduction. This suggests caution is needed when stopping lithium in well-maintained patients.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Measuring the development of a medical professional identity through medical school.

Medical teacher·2023
Same author

Demographics and anthropometrics impact benefits of health intervention: data from the Reduce Obesity and Diabetes Project.

Obesity science & practice·2019
Same author

Neural mechanisms of childhood-onset bipolar illness.

Acta neuropsychiatrica·2016
Same author

More pernicious course of bipolar disorder in the United States than in many European countries: implications for policy and treatment.

Journal of affective disorders·2014
Same author

Increased parental history of bipolar disorder in the United States: association with early age of onset.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2013
Same author

MEASURING INTER-HEMISPHERIC INTEGRATION IN BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER USING BRAIN NETWORK ANALYSES AND HARDI.

Proceedings. IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging·2012

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Lithium is a cornerstone treatment for bipolar disorder, offering long-term mood stabilization.
  • Effective lithium prophylaxis can be maintained for many years in well-managed patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phenomenon of lithium treatment failure after prior successful prophylaxis.
  • To explore potential reasons for lithium's diminished efficacy upon reintroduction.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic life-chart methodology was employed.
  • Observation of four patients with bipolar disorder experiencing relapses after lithium discontinuation.

Main Results:

  • Patients experienced relapses upon lithium discontinuation after 6-15 years of effective treatment.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Reintroduction of lithium was no longer effective in preventing subsequent mood episodes.

    • Conclusions:

    • Lithium discontinuation in well-maintained bipolar disorder patients may lead to irreversible treatment resistance.
    • Further systematic studies are required to understand the incidence, predictors, and mechanisms of this lithium failure phenomenon.