title: [Neurologic sequelae secondary to acute lithium poisoning].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the literature on the permanent neurological sequelae resulting from acute lithium poisoning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-six articles were reviewed in English and in French. They were accessed through Medline and cover the period from 1968 to 1997.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-nine case studies were broken down into 3 groups: lithium intoxications without a neuroleptic that has provoked a cerebellar syndrome; those in which there was a neuroleptic; and those with diverse neurological consequences, with or without a neuroleptic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lithium has an intrinsic toxicity for the central nervous system and provokes a tropism specific to the cerebellum. The association with neuroleptics appears to increase toxicity as well as some associated factors, including infections and the rapid correction of the lithium level in the blood. We discuss the psychopathological mechanisms invoked to explain lithium's neurotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Département de psychiatrie, Hôpital Louis-H. Lafontaine, Montréal, Québec.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stip
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lew
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Langlois
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000506:poisoning*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000506:poisoning*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D008094:Lithium