Recalibrating the risks and benefits of lithium therapy

Michael Berk; Stephanie Cowdery; Lana Williams; Gin S Malhi

doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.116.193789

Recalibrating the risks and benefits of lithium therapy

Br J Psychiatry. 2017 Jul;211(1):1-2. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.116.193789.

Authors

Michael Berk¹, Stephanie Cowdery², Lana Williams², Gin S Malhi²

Affiliations

¹ Michael Berk, MBBCh, MMed(Psych) Cum Laude, FF(Psych)SA, PhD, FRANZCP, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University; Stephanie Cowdery, BHSci, DLang, Grad Dip Psych(Hons), Lana Williams, BPsych, Grad Dip App Psych, MPsych (Clinical), PhD, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University; Gin S. Malhi, MBChB, BSc(Hons), MD, FRCPsych, FRANZCP, CADE Clinic, North Shore Hospital, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Australia mikebe@barwonhealth.org.au.
² Michael Berk, MBBCh, MMed(Psych) Cum Laude, FF(Psych)SA, PhD, FRANZCP, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University; Stephanie Cowdery, BHSci, DLang, Grad Dip Psych(Hons), Lana Williams, BPsych, Grad Dip App Psych, MPsych (Clinical), PhD, IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University; Gin S. Malhi, MBChB, BSc(Hons), MD, FRCPsych, FRANZCP, CADE Clinic, North Shore Hospital, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Australia.

PMID: 28673941
DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.116.193789

Abstract

Recent data might subtly recalibrate the risk/benefit ratio of lithium, the prototypical mood stabiliser for bipolar disorder. There are hints that lithium might be associated with a reduction in dementia risk and as noted in this Journal, a surprising reduction in the risk of cancer.

Publication types

Editorial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Antimanic Agents / therapeutic use
Bipolar Disorder / drug therapy
Dementia / drug therapy*
Humans
Lithium Compounds / adverse effects
Lithium Compounds / therapeutic use*
Neoplasms / chemically induced*

Substances

Antimanic Agents
Lithium Compounds