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Related Concept Videos

Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview01:24

Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview

Mania, a psychological condition characterized by elevated mood, increased energy, and reduced sleep need, is part of the bipolar disorder cycle. The exact cause of mania isn't entirely known, but it is thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and neurological factors. Bipolar disorder involves alternating manic and depressive episodes. Mood stabilizers like lithium, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants help manage these episodes. Lithium carbonate is particularly effective as a...
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Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...
Ionic Bonds00:42

Ionic Bonds

When atoms gain or lose electrons to achieve a more stable electron configuration they form ions. Ionic bonds are electrostatic attractions between ions with opposite charges. Ionic compounds are rigid and brittle when solid and may dissociate into their constituent ions in water. Covalent compounds, by contrast, remain intact unless a chemical reaction breaks them.Opposing Charges Hold Ions Together in Ionic CompoundsIonic bonds are reversible electrostatic interactions between ions with...
Drug Toxicity: Overview01:00

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Drug toxicity quantifies the harm a compound causes to an organism, varying by dose and potentially impacting whole systems or specific organs like the liver. Toxic reactions may arise from venomous insect or spider bites, with effects ranging from mild symptoms to severe outcomes such as brain damage or death. Common forms of acute poisoning include ethanol intoxication and overdose of pain or fever medications, with substances like GHB and heroin being particularly lethal at doses close to...
Toxidromes: Clinical Features01:30

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Toxidromes are specific patterns of symptoms resulting from toxic substance exposure. They help in the identification and treatment of poisoning. The symptoms of each toxidrome group indicate poisoning by a certain class of chemicals or drugs.1. Sympathomimetic: Stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. Symptoms include agitation, increased heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory rate (RR), temperature, and pupil size. Drugs like cocaine and amphetamines, along with tremors and...
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Drug toxicity: Idiosyncratic Reactions

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

A Protocol for Safe Lithiation Reactions Using Organolithium Reagents
09:45

A Protocol for Safe Lithiation Reactions Using Organolithium Reagents

Published on: November 12, 2016

[Lithium intoxications at normal serum levels].

Benedikt Habermeyer1, Melanie Hess, Patricia Kozomara-Hocke

  • 1Universitäre Psychiatrische Kliniken Basel, Schweiz. wolfram.kawohl@puk.zh.ch

Psychiatrische Praxis
|November 8, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Lithium toxicity can occur even with normal serum levels, particularly in older patients or those with comorbidities. Clinical signs, not just serum levels, should guide lithium treatment decisions.

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The Tail Suspension Test
10:17

The Tail Suspension Test

Published on: January 28, 2012

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Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

A Protocol for Safe Lithiation Reactions Using Organolithium Reagents
09:45

A Protocol for Safe Lithiation Reactions Using Organolithium Reagents

Published on: November 12, 2016

The Tail Suspension Test
10:17

The Tail Suspension Test

Published on: January 28, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Lithium is a widely used mood stabilizer, but its therapeutic window is narrow, with neurotoxicity a significant concern at elevated serum levels.
  • Paradoxically, lithium neurotoxicity and intoxication symptoms can manifest even when serum lithium concentrations are within the normal therapeutic range.

Observation:

  • This study presents two cases of severe lithium intoxication occurring at normal serum lithium levels.
  • A literature review was conducted to identify factors associated with lithium neurotoxicity in the context of normal serum levels.

Findings:

  • Advanced age, pre-existing neurological or general medical conditions (especially those involving fever), and concurrent use of antipsychotics, antidepressants, or other mood stabilizers increase the risk of lithium neurotoxicity.
  • Serum lithium levels alone are not always indicative of intoxication; clinical presentation is crucial.

Implications:

  • Patients exhibiting signs of lithium intoxication require comprehensive evaluation, including serum lithium levels and electroencephalogram (EEG).
  • Discontinuation of lithium therapy should be considered based on clinical signs of intoxication, irrespective of serum lithium levels, to prevent severe neurotoxicity.