Effects of lithium and other mood stabilizers

According to Lenox and Manji (1998) the cognitive effects of lithium appear to be some of the most problematic for patients, yet they remain the least studied . A number of earl) observational studies were concerned with the question of whether lithium, which is normally administered for months or years, leads to detectable cognitive disturbance, particularly memory impairment. A starting point for these studies was the observation that many patients treated with lithium complained of being mentally slower, less attentive and also more forgetful than they used to be before they were put on lithium. 

Observations of patients treated with lithium for 10 years or more have provided the somewhat comforting finding that, even after long-term treatment, these individuals did not show memory disorders going beyond the expected age-related changes (Engelsmann et al., 1988). 

In conclusion and, although specific studies in patients with affective disorders are lacking, the majority of these compounds do not appear to cause significant problems with regard to their impact upon cognitive function. 

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