Alcohol and alcoholism : international journal of the Medical Council on Alcoholism
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In psychiatric practice, lithium prevents manic depressives recidivism. Lithium could also be useful in non-manic-depressive conditions with a reduction of aggression and impulsivity. From the observation that alcoholics often present mood swings and impulsivity, several authors studied the effects of maintenance doses of lithium on alcohol intake and the depressive symptoms of alcoholics. ⋯ Most of the recent studies failed to demonstrate a significant effect of lithium on the depressive symptoms of alcoholics. Thus, it is now established that lithium is not an effective treatment of affective disorders in alcoholics. The latest published studies also suggest that lithium treatment does not decrease alcohol intake or craving for alcohol in either depressed or non-depressed alcoholics.