Lithium was originally discovered in 1817 in the mines of Australia and Chilli. Found in spring water, lithium has been used in the treatment of bipolar disorder and other psychiatric conditions with great effectiveness.

Use of lithium to treat and prevent depression was started in 1886. In the 1940s, Australian doctor John Cade, discovered lithium to be a highly effective treatment for what was then called manic depression. Lithium is now a standard treatment for conditions such as bipolar disorder and depression, and is one of the most consistently effective medicines in psychiatry. It is also one of the few medications proven to decrease the risk of suicide. Since the early 1970s, several international studies confirmed the anti-suicidal effect of lithium.

Lithium interacts with many proteins and other molecules in the brain, so it is difficult for scientists to determine which of these interactions produce mood stabilization. “Unravelling the mystery of how lithium works is one of the greatest challenges psychiatry faces today,” says Flavio Guzman, M.D. of the Psychopharmacology Institute. The mineral interacts with a number of neurotransmitters, neuron receptors, and other chemical systems in brain cells providing the mood benefits many patients receive from this medication.

Written by Nurse Audra, with guidance from Dr. Edwards