Lithium has a negative effect on memory, as concluded from a relatively small number of well designed and controlled studies that showed an improvement of memory functions after temporary discontinuation of lithium.
Lithium has been associated with impaired memory, word finding difficulties, and impaired recall. Often, my patients have reported a cognitive "dulling" and a loss of cognitive "creativity" with lithium use that they found most disturbing.
Conclusions: Many patients administered lithium carbonate complained of mental slowness. Lithium carbonate also appeared to have definite, yet subtle, negative effects on psychomotor speed. Studies reviewed also showed a trend toward impaired verbal memory.
Chronic lithium has been shown to enhance spatial working memory and to promote long-term retention of a weak aversive contingency (Tsaltas et al. 2007a, b). It has also been shown to promote learning in three different spatial cognitive tasks involving positive reinforcement (Nocjar et al. 2007).
Patients taking lithium often report of difficulties in concentration, memory, learning, and attention. Laboratory tests of cognitive functions in healthy volunteers on chronic lithium demonstrate that disruptions in memory-learning processes are apparent at the time of memory retrieval.
If you've been taking lithium for some time, it can cause weight gain. It can also cause problems with your kidneys or thyroid gland. Common signs of an underactive thyroid are tiredness, weight gain and feeling depressed.
Adverse effects were the most common cause for lithium discontinuation. Among the adverse effects, diarrhoea, tremor, creatinine increase, polyuria/polydipsia/diabetes insipidus and weight gain were the top five reasons for discontinuing lithium.
Interestingly, lithium appears to preserve or increase the volume of brain structures involved in emotional regulation such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala, possibly reflecting its neuroprotective effects.
In mild lithium toxicity, symptoms include weakness, worsening tremor, mild ataxia, poor concentration and diarrhea. With worsening toxicity, vomiting, the development of a gross tremor, slurred speech, confusion and lethargy emerge (Bauer and Gitlin 2016).
Lithium also exerts antisuicidal, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective effects. The main problems associated with long-term lithium treatment include kidney, thyroid, and probably cognitive issues.
In those exposed to lithium, 9.7% of patients were also subsequently diagnosed with dementia. In those that weren't exposed to lithium, 11.2% of people went on to develop dementia.
Lithium is an important treatment for bipolar disorder. It can help to control moods, but it can also have adverse effects. Some reports suggest that lithium can affect thinking and memory.
If you have bipolar disorder, you may be offered lithium for a longer period, to prevent or reduce your risk of relapse. Your doctor may suggest that you commit to taking lithium for at least six months, possibly longer. This is because it can take some time to make sure the medication is working effectively.
Substantial affect and mood changes are induced by lithium carbonate. Lethargy, dysphoria, a loss of interest in interacting with others and the environment, and a state of increased mental confusion were reported.
Rarely, lithium is reported to cause irreversible, permanent neurological sequelae such as cerebellar impairment, dementia, parkinsonian syndromes, choreoathetosis, brain stem syndromes, and peripheral neuropathies.
Research has shown that in some bipolar patients, weight gain occurs with lithium monotherapy because lithium alters their taste. This side effect causes cravings for beverages and food that are salty, fatty, or sugary.
Descriptions. Lithium is used to treat mania that is part of bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness). It is also used on a daily basis to reduce the frequency and severity of manic episodes.
2) Although not very common, weight gain is another adverse effect seen with chronic use of lithium. 3–5) An early study had found that lithium maintenance therapy stimulated weight gains of over 10 kg in 20%, which was attributed to increased thirst in majority of individuals.
While there are different medications used to treat manic and depressive episodes in people with bipolar disorder, lithium is a commonly used medication. Studies suggest that lithium is very effective at both treating symptoms of bipolar disorder and preventing relapses of the condition.
Take your lithium each night at the same time. You need to take it at night because blood tests need to be done during the day, 12 hours after a dose (see Section 4 'Blood tests after starting to take lithium').
The research showed that after eight weeks of lithium treatment, the subjects had significant increases in gray matter fraction, global cortical thickness, and the thickness of frontal and parietal cortices. Volume increases were also seen for putamen, hippocampus, thalamic nuclei, and thalamic substructures.
Lithium – When abruptly discontinued, people who have been taking lithium to stabilize moods may experience mood instability and a relapse of mania.
Side effects of medications prescribed for bipolar symptoms. "You also can have memory problems with several of the more commonly prescribed medications, lithium being the most notorious," Thase says.
Alternatives to lithium in the prevention of relapse of recurrent affective disorders include antidepressants, carba- mazepine and ECT.
Typical dosing for lithium
The typical starting dose depends on what form of lithium you're prescribed. Lithium immediate-release tablets and capsules: Adults and children above 30 kg (66 lbs): The typical starting dose is 300 mg by mouth 3 times a day.