1. Lithium inhibits the enzymes that are involved in the recycling of neuronal membrane phosphoinositides. This leads to the depletion of the second messenger source, PIP₃ which then leads to a decrease in the generation of IP₃ and DAG.
2. 0.6-1.4 mEq/L. This therapeutic index is relatively small and requires plasma level monitoring to ensure effective and safe dosing.
3. Lithium is used as monotherapy in the manic phase of bipolar disorder. Lithium and lamotrigine, clonazepam or lorazepam are used for the treatment of bipolar depression in patients who didn’t respond to monotherapy.
4. The use of diuretics(thiazides), NSAIDs, ACEIs and fluoxetine decrease lithium’s renal clearance and thus increasing the lithium levels and causing toxicity.

Theophyllin and caffeine increase lithium excretion.

Typical antipsychotic drugs can worsen EPS when used with lithium.

5. Tremor, choreoathetosis, motor hyperactivity, ataxia, dysarthria, aphasia, sedation, thyroid gland hypofunction, thyroid enlargement, polyuria, polydipsia, nocturia, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, oedema and weight gain.
6. Renal clearance of lithium increases during pregnancy and decreases back to normal levels after delivery. A patient whose serum lithium concentration is in a good therapeutic range during pregnancy may develop toxic levels after delivery. Lithium is transferred to nursing infants through breast milk, in which it has a concentration of about one third to one half of that serum. Lithium toxicity in newborns is manifested by lethargy, cyanosis, poor suck and moro reflexes, and perhaps hepatomegaly.
7. Recurrent depression, acute major depression and schizoaffective disorder.
8. The concurrent use of Camcolith and Indocid is the cause of the side effects that the patient is experiencing. The Indocid contains indomethacin which is a NSAID. NSAIDs decrease the renal clearance of lithium and thus this causes lithium accumulation and thus toxicity and causes things like weight gain and fatigue.