EFFECTS OF LITHIUM CARBONATE ON MOTOR ACTIVITY IN MANIA AND DEPRESSION

Abstract

A telemetered movement recording system and nursing ratings of behavior were utilized to assess spontaneous motor activity and symptom intensity of 15 patients with affective illness before and during Li2 CO3 treatment. Prior to treatment, patients rated hyperactive-elated, angry and agitated had more motor activity, and patients rated anergic and rearded had less motor activity. Li2 CO3 treatment was not associated with any uniform change in motor activity for all patients; however, patients with a decrease during treatment in thought disorder, motor agitation and hyperactivity-elation had a decrease in motor activity and patients who had a decrease in depressed mood, anergia, motor retardation and social withdrawal had an increase in motor activity. The decrease in activity of the manic patients, except for the 11 p.m.-3 a.m. period of apparent sleep, appeared to occur fairly uniformly throughout the 24 h period, but the increase in activity of the depressed patients occurred mostly during the daytime. Li apparently does not exert a strong and consistent direct effect on spontaneous motor movement. When changes in movement do occur, they relate to changes in clinical states.