This study investigates the effects of blinded lithium treatment longitudinally in patients with bipolar disorder. At baseline and at multiple time points following the initiation of lithium treatment over 4 or more weeks, measures of signal transduction pathways, gene expression and brain neurochemistry and structure were obtained. It is hypothesized that modulation of these measures will be predictive of lithium treatment responsiveness.
This study investigates the effects of Lithium treatment on signal transduction pathways, gene expression and brain neurochemistry and structure in patients with Bipolar disorder. It is hypothesized that specific changes in these markers will correlate with lithium treatment responsiveness.