[Mechanism of action of lithium in manic-depressive psychoses: current research results]

Abstract

The mechanism of action lithium in the treatment of manic-depressive illness is far from being known. A great progress will be achieved when it is known wherther lithium has an actual anti-depressive action, which implies to determine whether all the "endogenous" depressive states belong to the same pathogenic group. Lithium salts have a real therapeutic action on manic states which may be put together with the decrease of available Norepinephrine that lithium salts bring about on cerebral receptors. This decrease concords with the aminergic theory of affective disorders. Many actions of lithium salts on the physiologic systems have been brought to evidence but the uncertainties that remain concerning their interactions prevent us to formulate any coherent assumption.