Lithium in the prophylactic treatment of recurrent affective disorders

Abstract

A one-group longitudinal trial of lithium on 40 patients with recurrent affective disorders showed improvement in 75 per cent of cases. There was a highly significant reduction in total hospital admissions after commencement of lithium treatment - it was more evident in manic-depressive and schizo-affective psychoses than in recurrent depressive illness. Patients on lithium therapy do relapse but these episodes tend to be less severe and infrequent.