Effects on Normal Volunteers

Because they considered lithium to be disease-specific for mania, advocates of the drug initially claimed that it had little or no effect on normal individuals (Dempsey et ah, 1977 Hollister, 1976). Even van Putten (1975a), usually a keen observer of drug effects, stated that lithium prophylaxis does not affect normal mental functioning or deprive a patient of normal human sorrow or elation.  

Claims that lithium has no effect on normal volunteers are often based on a study by Schou et al. (1968), who stated The most striking observation seems to be how little lithium affects normal mental functions in prophylactic dosage not at all and in higher therapeutic dosage only moderately.  

The most remarkable effects were subjective. Keep in mind that Schou et al. (1968) are trying to substantiate how little effect lithium has on normal mental function when they described the following effects on themselves  

References to diminished responsiveness to environmental stimuli, diminished intellectual initiative, indifference and a slight general malaise, and a certain passivity definitively describe the deactivating, brain-disabling effects of lithium (chapter 1). The language used is identical to that used to describe lobotomy effects. 

That one of the author s children thought he was improved by deactivation confirms the brain-disabling principles. At least from this child s viewpoint, it was a relief to have her father become subdued and withdrawn. 

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