Antisuicidal effect of trace lithium: a study of serum lithium levels of patients with suicide attempt

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K09838
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: Oita University
• Principal Investigator: Ippei Shiotsuki 大分大学, 医学部, 講師 (00444886)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 寺尾 岳 大分大学, 医学部, 教授 (80217413)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: リチウム / 自殺企図 / 自傷 / 自殺予防効果

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Serum lithium levels of 230 patients transferred to the emergency department of Oita University Hospital were measured and compared between patients with suicide attempt, self-injury, and control patients. As a reult, our hypothesis was not supported that male patients with suicide attempt had significantly lower lithium levels than those without suicide attempt whereas female patients with suicide attemmpt did not. Alternatively, in the patients with psychiatric illnesses, patients with susicide attemnpt had the lowest lithium levels than patients with self-injury and control patients.

Free Research Field

精神科救急

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回の研究の結果は「男性の自殺企図者は男性の非企図者と比較して、有意にリチウム濃度が低いが、女性ではそのような傾向はみられない」という当初の仮説を支持するのものではなかったが、精神疾患の有無によってリチウムに対する感受性が異なる可能性を示唆する点で興味深い。とりわけ精神疾患があれば微量なリチウムの自殺予防効果が発揮される可能性が高くなることを示唆するもので、学術的意義は高く、将来的に微量なリチウムにより精神疾患を有する患者の自殺予防ができる可能性を示唆したことで、社会的意義も高い。