title: Lithium-induced downbeat nystagmus.
abstract: We examined six patients who developed blurring or oscillopsia as a result of downbeat nystagmus while being treated with lithium carbonate. Of these six plus six previously described similar patients, all but two developed downbeat nystagmus insidiously as an isolated disorder in the setting of otherwise satisfactory therapeutic control, without clinical or biochemical evidence of acute lithium intoxication. Only six of these 12 patients were able either to reduce or to stop taking lithium, and in only two of these six did the downbeat nystagmus improve or remit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Halmagyi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lessell
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Curthoys
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lessell
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Hoyt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D004584:Electronystagmography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008094:Lithium