title: [Pseudo-hallucinations after long-term lithium treatment].
abstract: A 58-year old women with a history of recurrent depressive episodes had been on successful prophylaxis with lithium carbonate in controlled therapeutic dosage for 11 years. At this time she experienced with increasing frequency mostly visual, sometimes auditory pseudohallucinations which disappeared after stopping the lithium medication. Because a subsequent depressive episode did not respond to tricyclic antidepressants or to a MAO-inhibitor the patient was again prescribed lithium. At therapeutic lithium blood levels the previous perceptual disorders then returned.
authors.affiliation: Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, Mannheim.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hambrecht
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaumeier
mesh_terms: D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D008094:Lithium
vernacular_title: Pseudohalluzinationen nach langjähriger Lithiumbehandlung.