Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-16T18:01:25.172Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Trace Elements and the Electroencephalogram During Long-term Lithium Treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Norman S. Harvey
Affiliation:
University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF
John Jarratt
Affiliation:
Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
Neil I. Ward
Affiliation:
Chemistry Department, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey

Abstract

Endogenous bromine has been found to be raised during lithium treatment, and it has been suggested that it may augment the therapeutic effect of lithium. Our findings in a study of 12 patients and 12 controls support this contention. Electroencephalographic effects of bromine, vanadium and aluminium were studied – higher bromine and vanadium levels were associated with irregular cortical activity. Electroencephalographic abnormalities were associated with more side-effects of lithium.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1992 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alfrey, A. C. (1985) Dialysis encephalopathy. Clinical Nephrology, 24, S15S19.Google Scholar
American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn, revised) (DSM–III–R). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Campbell, C. A., Peet, M. & Ward, N. I. (1989) Trace element serum levels in lithium treated patients. In Lithium: Inorganic Pharmacology and Psychiatric Use (ed. Birch, N. J.), pp. 309310. Oxford: IRL Press.Google Scholar
Campbell, C. A., Ward, N. I. & Peet, M. (1986) Increased bromium levels in serum and hair during lithium treatment. Journal of Affective Disorders, 11, 161164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cook, B. L., Shukla, S. & Hoff, A. L. (1986) EEG abnormalities in bipolar affective disorder. Journal of Affective Disorder, 11, 147149.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dewan, M. J., Haldipur, C. V., Boucher, M. F., et al (1988) Bipolar affective disorder. II. EEG, neuropsychological, and clinical correlates of CT abnormality. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 77, 677682.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ghose, K. (1977) Lithium salts: therapeutic and unwanted effects. British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 18, 578583.Google Scholar
Handorf, C. R., Coleman, J. H. & Rawls, W. N. (1985) Elevated serum bromide in patients taking lithium carbonate. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 46, 910.Google Scholar
Harvey, N. S. & Ward, N. I. (1991) Endogenous vanadium, rubidium and caesium in manic-depressive patients, and their relations to lithium levels. Lithium, 2, 9197.Google Scholar
Hetmar, O. & Nielsen, M. (1988) Chronic treatment with lithium chloride: reduced number of GABA receptors in frontal cortex of rat brain. Pharmacology and Toxicology, 62, 107109.Google Scholar
Johnson, G., Maccario, M., Gershon, S., et al (1970) The effects of lithium on electroencephalogram, behaviour and serum electrolytes. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 151, 273289.Google Scholar
Mayfield, D. & Brown, R. G. (1966) The clinical laboratory and electroencephalographic effects of lithium. Journal of Psychiatry Research, 4, 207219.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moore, M., Sohler, T. & Alexander, L. (1940) Bromide intoxication. A review. Confinia Neurologica, 3, 152.Google Scholar
Placios, J. M., Niehoff, D. L. & Kuhar, M. J. (1979) Ontogeny of GABA and benzodiazepine receptors: effects of Triton X-100, bromide and muscimol. Brain Research, 179, 390395.Google Scholar
Summerton, A. M., Harvey, N. S. & Forrest, A. R. W. (1989) New direct method for measuring red cell lithium. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 42, 435437.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van der Voet, G. B. & de Wolff, F. A. (1985) Distribution of aluminium between plasma and erythrocytes. Human Toxicology, 4, 643648.Google Scholar
Verberk, M. M., Rooyakkers-Beemster, T., De Vlieger, M., et al (1979) Bromine in blood, EEG and transaminases in methyl bromide workers. British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 36, 5962.Google Scholar
Ward, N. I., Thompson, J. Abou-Shakra, F. R., et al (1989) Inductively coupled plasma-source mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in biological and environmental studies for multielement analysis and isotope ratios. In Heavy Metals in the Environment (ed. Vernet, J-P.), pp. 617620. Edinburgh: C.E.P. Consultants.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (1981) The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised. New York: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Zakowska-Dabrowska, T. & Rybakowski, J. (1973) Lithium-induced EEG changes: relation to lithium levels in serum and red blood cells. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 49, 457465.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.