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Unusual Mood Stability in Patients Taking Lithium

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

M. F. Folstein ,
J. R. Depaulo Jr.  and
K. Trepp
M. F. Folstein
Affiliation:
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
J. R. Depaulo Jr.
Affiliation:
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
K. Trepp
Affiliation:
New York Hospital, Westchester Division, White Plains, New York
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Summary

The Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS) was completed for 30 consecutive days by 124 psychiatric patients and 36 non-patient control subjects. The 65 euthymic manic-depressive patients on chronic lithium therapy had similar mean mood ratings to the non-patient controls, but had lower mood variability as measured either by standard deviation of the mood rating or by a measure of the mean successive differences between consecutive mood ratings (delta squared). This unusual mood stability appears to be an effect of lithium therapy. This study thus offers some empirical support for the ‘mood stabilizer’ psychological model of lithium's effects in patients. It is also noted that this effect may be perceived in well patients as an undesirable effect of lithium treatment.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 140 , Issue 2 , February 1982 , pp. 188 - 191
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

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