ISSN: 2161-0460

Journal of Alzheimers Disease & Parkinsonism
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  • Case Report   
  • J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 2017, Vol 7(6): 407
  • DOI: 10.4172/2161-0460.1000407

Lithium in the Normal Therapeutic Range: A Potential Sneaky Danger for the Brain. A Case of Slow Tricking Neurotoxicity and a Brief Overview of Literature

Elisabetta Farina1, Luca Giani2, Carlo Lovati2*, Claudio Mariani2 and Raffaello Nemni1
1Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS S. Maria Nascente, Don Gnocchi Foundation, , Milan Study University, Milan, Italy
2Neurology Unit, Luigi Sacco Hospital, , Milan Study University, Milan, Italy
*Corresponding Author : Carlo Lovati, Neurology Unit, Luigi Sacco Hospital, University of Milan, Milan Study University, Milan, Italy, Tel: 00390239042317, Email: carlo.lovati@asst-fbf-sacco.it

Received Date: Nov 29, 2017 / Accepted Date: Dec 13, 2017 / Published Date: Dec 20, 2017

Abstract

In medicine, Lithium salts are known to be useful as a mood-stabilizing drug in the treatment of bipolar disorder and depression. In neurology Lithium is used as prophylaxis of cluster headache. Lithium may induce intoxication with renal failure, thyroid dysfunction, cardiac arrhythmias and neurotoxicity. Toxicity signs are associated with increased serum concentrations (>1.2 mEq/l); however, there have been some reports of neurotoxicity also with therapeutic drug levels. We describe the case of a 70 years old woman who was assuming Lithium for a bipolar disorder with a permanent control of psychiatric symptoms. After 40 years of continued therapy with lithium she developed a rapidly progressive dementia with multifocal brain signs, although lithium serum levels were always normal. She was carefully investigated with regard to the cognitive decline and all possible primary and secondary rapidly progressive dementia were excluded. When the clinical state was quite terminal, all therapies were interrupted and she progressively recovered after withdrawal of lithium therapy.

Keywords: Lithium; Neurotoxicity; Dementia

Citation: Farina E, Giani L, Lovati C, Mariani C, Nemni R (2017) Lithium in the Normal Therapeutic Range: A Potential Sneaky Danger for the Brain. A Case of Slow Tricking Neurotoxicity and a Brief Overview of Literature. J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism 7: 407. Doi: 10.4172/2161-0460.1000407

Copyright: © 2017 Farina E, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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