Effects of lithium carbonate on associative productivity and idiosyncrasy in bipolar outpatients

To determine the effect of lithium carbonate on the productivity and idiosyncrasy of written associations of euthymic outpatients with affective disorder, the authors assessed 22 patients at weekly intervals during lithium treatment, 2 consecutive weeks of placebo, and 2 consecutive weeks after lith...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American journal of psychiatry Vol. 143; no. 9; p. 1166
Main Authors Shaw, E D, Mann, J J, Stokes, P E, Manevitz, A Z
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.09.1986
Subjects
Adult
Aged
Ambulatory Care
Association - drug effects
Bipolar Disorder - blood
Bipolar Disorder - drug therapy
Bipolar Disorder - psychology
Cognition - drug effects
Creativity
Female
Humans
Lithium - blood
Lithium - pharmacology
Lithium - therapeutic use
Lithium Carbonate
Male
Middle Aged
Placebos
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Word Association Tests
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Summary:To determine the effect of lithium carbonate on the productivity and idiosyncrasy of written associations of euthymic outpatients with affective disorder, the authors assessed 22 patients at weekly intervals during lithium treatment, 2 consecutive weeks of placebo, and 2 consecutive weeks after lithium was resumed. Lithium discontinuation produced a significant increase in associational productivity and a demonstrable increase in associative idiosyncrasy, and restoration of lithium dose significantly reversed both effects. The results suggest that lithium may affect the underlying neuropsychological functions critical to the ability to generate associations and indicate the need for further study of lithium's effects on these and other functions that may relate to neuropsychological and creative processes.
ISSN:0002-953X
DOI:10.1176/ajp.143.9.1166