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Lithium treatment and mechanisms of aging

Molecular Psychiatry volume 23, pages 2112–2113 (2018)Cite this article

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Lithium—a light metal named after the Greek word “lithos,” meaning “stone”—has been extensively used, in various salt forms, in the treatment of mood disorders for over half a century. During this stretch of time, a large body of evidence has demonstrated its efficacy and effectiveness, most notably when used as prophylactic treatment for bipolar disorder and as augmentation agent for treatment-refractory unipolar depression. The powerful mood-stabilizing properties of the drug have sustained its front-line use for the management of affective disorders, despite the emergence of newer mood stabilizers with favorable side effect profiles.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to express his gratitude to Dr. Grace Thrall, whose dedicated teaching was an inspiration for this article.

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  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Anthony S. Zannas

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  1. Anthony S. Zannas
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Correspondence to Anthony S. Zannas.

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Zannas, A.S. Lithium treatment and mechanisms of aging. Mol Psychiatry 23, 2112–2113 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-018-0024-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-018-0024-6

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