[Alterations of sleep caused by acute and chronic adminstration of lithium]

The sleep of 2 groups of subjects receiving lithium was studied. Ten normal controls after 17 days of lithium had a significant decrease of Paradoxical Sleep duration, with an increase of PS latency. A second group of 10 manic-depressive patients had received lithium for 22 +/- 6 months when they were recorded. They had a greater amount of slow wave sleep than the control group before lithium but the difference of PS duration was only related to a first night effect. Therefore sleep changes induced by lithium are different according to the duration of lithium administration. In any case they are less important than those induced by most of the anti-depressants.