Mood stabilizers characteristics

Immediately after remission of an episode of mania treated with perphenazine + a mood stabilizer (lithium, car-bamazepine, or valproate), patients were randomly assigned to 6 months of double-blind treatment in which, in addition to the mood stabilizer, they received either continued perphenazine (n = 19) or placebo (n = 18) (113). There were no between-group differences in various important demographic and clinical characteristics. Those given placebo were more likely than those who... 

Lithium is the lightest of the alkali metals (group la) the salts of this monovalent cation share some characteristics with those of Na and K. Traces of the ion occur normally in animal tissues, but has no known physiological role. In the U.S., the drug forms are the salts, lithium carbonate and lithium citrate. Therapeutic concentrations of LT have almost no discernible psychotropic effects in normal individuals. is not a sedative, depressant, or euphoriant, characteristics that differentiate it from other psychotropic agents. The precise mechanism of action of LL as a mood-stabilizing agent remains unknown. 

In addition to its use in mood disorders, lithium has been suggested or examined in a wide range of neuropsychiatric conditions. Lithium is one of the pharmaceuticals that is frequently recommended for the management of aggressive behavior independent of diagnosis. In a review of 16 published studies, 7 or 8 (depending on definition of response) were foxmd to be positive [43" " ], and indeed, it appears to reduce impulsive behavior in rats—a characteristic not shared by tire otiier common mood stabilizers, carbamazepine, or valproate [44an nia> study]... 

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