Pharmacodynamics of Lithium

Lithium is thought to exert its effect by interfering with the calcium-mediated release of norepinephrine, increasing the uptake of norepinephrine, and decreasing the sensitivity of postsynaptic receptor sites to norepinephrine. 

In addition, there is increasing evidence that lithium exerts its therapeutic action by interfering with the polyphosphoinositide metabolism in the brain and by preventing inositol recycling through the uncompetitive inhibition of inositol monophosphatase. 

---