Duration of lithium treatment and brain lithium concentration in patients with unipolar and schizoaffective disorder--a study with magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Twenty psychiatric patients on lithium medication were examined with 7-Li-magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain. Patients on long-term lithium treatment (> 6 months) were compared with a short-term group who had been taking lithium for between 4 and 8 weeks. Patients met DSM-III-R criteria for either recurrent unipolar depressive disorder (DSM-III-R 296.3x) or schizoaffective disorder, depressive type (DSM-III-R 295.70). The brain:serum lithium ratio was 0.76 +/- 0.26; there was no significant difference between short-term and long-term treatment. In the group of long-term treatment patients there was a positive correlation between lithium dose per day and brain lithium concentration (R = .72, p < .01), and between lithium plasma concentration and brain lithium concentration (R = .65, p < .05). In the short-term group, however, there was no significant correlation for these parameters. No differences between unipolar and schizoaffective disorder were found.
Riedl
U
U
Department of Psychiatry, University of Erlangen, Germany.
Barocka
A
A
Kolem
H
H
Demling
J
J
Kaschka
W P
WP
Schelp
R
R
Stemmler
M
M
Ebert
D
D
D000328:Adult; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002138:Calibration; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D011868:Radioisotopes; D013997:Time Factors
D018692:Antimanic Agents; D011868:Radioisotopes; D008094:Lithium