The Essential Guide to Lithium Treatment

Michael Bauer, MD, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Executive Chair of theDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Medical Faculty, TechnischeUniversität Dresden, in Germany, where he is also Physician-in-Chief at thePsychiatric Hospital and Outpatient Clinics of the University Hospital CarlGustav Carus. He received his medical degree from Freie Universität BerlinSchool of Medicine and a PhD in molecular biology and biochemistry from FreieUniversität Berlin. He is the editor together with Prof. Paul Grof and ProfBruno-Mueller-Oerlinghausen of the definitive scientific textbook "Lithium inNeuropsychiatry-The Comprehensive Guide" (from 2006), and has authored andcoauthored more than 400 articles published in peer-reviewed journals,including The Lancet, MolecularPsychiatry and The American Journalof Psychiatry, and books in the field of mood disorders. He is President ofthe International Group for the Study of Lithium-Treated Patients (IGSLi),chairs the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry's (WFSBP)Task Force on Treatment Guidelines for Unipolar Depressive Disorders, and isproject coordinator of the National consortium for the German TreatmentGuidelines for Bipolar Disorder, and leads the National Research Network onBipolar Disoder "BipoLife". He is Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Bipolar Disorders and Pharmacopsychiatry and editor of Der Nervenarzt. Michael J. Gitlin, M.D. is Professor ofClinical Psychiatry at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)School of Medicine. He is currently the Director of the Adult Division in theDepartment of Psychiatry, Medical Director of the Neuropsychiatric BehavioralHealth Services and Director of the Mood Disorders Clinic. From 1980 until2004, he was the Medical Director of the Aftercare Clinic, a research clinic inschizophrenia. He is the author of many scientific articles and book chaptersas well as four books, including: two editions of a solo authoredpsychopharmacology textbook written for nonphysician therapists entitled"The Psychotherapist's Guide to Psychopharmacology" published by the FreePress, the coauthor of "Psychotropic Drugs and Women" with Dr. VictoriaHendrick and the coauthor of "Clinician's Guide to Bipolar Disorder:Integrating Pharmacology with Psychotherapy", with Dr. David Miklowitz. Heserved as Chief of Staff at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital from 1997-1999. Amonghis awards are: Distinguished Educator Award in Teaching from the UCLADepartment of Psychiatry (1999), Outstanding Housestaff Teaching Award, 1994and 2008, Teacher of the Year from the Psychiatric Times in 2002; DadoneClinical Teaching award from the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in 2010; andthe Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine award from the Geffen School of Medicineat UCLA in 2010.

This book is a practical, up-to-date guide to the correct use of lithium for the short- and long-term treatment of mood disorders. Among the subjects addressed are the pharmacology and mechanisms of action of lithium, its use for maintenance treatment, the role of lithium in the treatment of mania and depression and in suicide prevention, further clinical indications, the administration of lithium during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and adverse effects and their management. Relevant background information is provided on the diagnosis, classification, and natural course of mood disorders, and an overview of other treatments for bipolar disorder and major depression is included.Lithium is the essential medication for patients with mood disorders. The evidence of its efficacy in maintenance treatment is acknowledged in all major international treatment guidelines for bipolar disorders and, when used correctly, lithium unquestionably produces the most dramatic benefits of any medication in psychopharmacology. This essential guide is written by two international experts in the treatment of mood disorders who have more than 25 years of experience in the use of lithium and have authored numerous scientific articles on lithium.

Provides up-to-date guidance on the use of lithium for short- and long-term treatment of mood disorders

Diagnosis and classification of mood disorders.- Natural course of mood disorders and its treatment.- History of lithium treatment.- Pharmacology and mechanisms of action.- Maintenance treatment with lithium.- Treatment of mania with lithium.- Treatment of depression with lithium.- Suicide prevention with lithium.- Other clinical indications of lithium including neuroprotective effects and its potential indications.- Lithium in pregnancy and postpartum period.- Practical management of lithium.- Adverse effects and its management.- Other treatments for bipolar disorder and major depression.