Lithium antagonizes ethanol intoxication in alcoholics.
Thirty-five detoxified alcoholics given lithium in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study reported less intoxication, a decrease in the desire to continue drinking, and less cognitive dysfunction when challenged by standardized doses of ethanol. Lithium also appeared to antagonize the ethanol-induced decrement in cognitive and perceptual motor performance. No differential lithium effect was noted when alcoholics were divided by diagnoses of affective disorder versus no affective disorder. The authors suggest that, in addition to mood normalization, lithium's capacity to directly affect ethanol intoxication may help explain its potential therapeutic efficacy in alcoholism, providing further confirmatory evidence that lithium may be useful in the treatment of alcoholism.
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004336:Drug Antagonism; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects
D010919:Placebos; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D000431:Ethanol; D008094:Lithium