title: The addition of lithium to carbamazepine. Antidepressant efficacy in treatment-resistant depression.
abstract: The addition of lithium carbonate to various antidepressant agents, including heterocyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, has been reported to rapidly effect an antidepressant response in otherwise treatment-unresponsive depressed patients. Fifteen depressed patients diagnosed by DSM-III criteria who had not responded to double-blind treatment with carbamazepine were treated with the blind addition of lithium to carbamazepine. Eight patients (53%) responded with a moderate to marked improvement. The time to onset of substantial clinical improvement was rapid; ie, the mean (+/- SD) was 4.1 +/- 2.4 days for lithium potentiation compared with 9.7 +/- 4.1 days in a separate group of depressed patients responding to lithium alone. Side effects during carbamazepine-lithium combination therapy were minimal. The mechanisms by which lithium appears to rapidly potentiate the effects of carbamazepine in treatment-resistant depression are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Biological Psychiatry Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kramlinger
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Post
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D002220:Carbamazepine; D008094:Lithium