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Lithium in Non-Manic-Depressives: Antiaggressive Effect and Red Blood Cell Lithium Values

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Ernest P. Worrall ,
J. P. Moody  and
Graham J. Naylor
Ernest P. Worrall
Affiliation:
The University, Dundee, DD1 4HN
J. P. Moody
Affiliation:
Royal Dundee Liff Hospital, Dundee, DD2 5NF
Graham J. Naylor
Affiliation:
The University, Dundee DD1 4HN, Scotland
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Summary

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Lithium was given to eight aggressive, non-manic-depressive female defectives in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. The group as a whole showed a reduction in aggression scores while on lithium (p < 0.01): three patients became less aggressive, one became worse and two were unchanged. Both affective and predatory aggression seemed to be reduced. Two patients had to be withdrawn from the trial at an early stage because of the development of neurotoxicity.

R.B.C./plasma lithium ratios showed a wide inter-patient variation in this group of non-manic-depressives.

The study adds further weight to evidence that lithium has an antiaggressive effect at normal therapeutic dosage in non-manic-depressives. The implications of this for hypotheses about the mode of action of lithium and its putative specificity for manic-depressive psychosis are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 126 , Issue 5 , May 1975 , pp. 464 - 468
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1975 

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