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Lithium Salts in AIDS and AIDS-Related Dementia
Brian Herbert Harvey, PhD, Catharina L. Meyer, Husseini K. Manji, Vincent S. Gallicchio, PhD, and Husseini K. Manji, Frcpc et al.. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 2002-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Agents currently in use against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, including the prospects of a vaccine, have focused primarily on destroying or disabling the virus. This strategy is hampered by the ephemeral nature of the viral genome. Lithium salts are widely used in psychiatry as mood-stabilizing agents. Studies have revealed, however, that the lithium ion also has significant granulopoietic actions, as well as regulatory effects on select cytokines that enable it to boost the body's natural defense against viral infections, specifically DNA viruses. Moreover, case reports in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, as well as animal studies using related immunodeficiency viruses, provide support for a novel therapeutic role for lithium salts in the treatment of HIV infection. Furthermore, recent studies have revealed an important additional benefit of the lithium ion. In both in vitro and human studies, lithium has been found to increase the synthesis of neuroprotective proteins and to exert possible neurotrophic effects in the human brain. These properties hold great promise in the treatment of AIDS-related neurological deficits such as dementia. This paper reviews the mechanisms involved in and the clinical promise for lithium salts in the treatment of AIDS and AIDS-related dementia.
Key findings
- Studies have revealed, however, that the lithium ion also has significant granulopoietic actions, as well as regulatory effects on select cytokines that enable it to boost the body's natural defense against viral infections, specifically DNA viruses.
- Furthermore, recent studies have revealed an important additional benefit of the lithium ion.
Why it matters
This review paper discusses mechanisms by which lithium salts might boost defence against viral infections and increase neuroprotective proteins, with possible relevance to AIDS-related dementia. It is a review of mechanisms and case reports, not a trial, so it does not establish that lithium treats or prevents dementia.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 27/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 26 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 27 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Psychopharmacology Bulletin) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Psychopharmacology Bulletin: journal h-index 54 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2002 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 30 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.2 citations a year over 26 year(s) since 2002 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | North-West University: institution h-index 360 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12397845) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 26 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 26 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 27 out of 100. |
| Total | 27 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Harvey, B. H., Meyer, C. L., Manji, H. K., Gallicchio, V. S., Frcpc, et al. (2002). Lithium Salts in AIDS and AIDS-Related Dementia. Psychopharmacology Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.64719/pb.4228
Vancouver
Harvey BH, Meyer CL, Manji HK, Gallicchio VS, Frcpc, et al. Lithium Salts in AIDS and AIDS-Related Dementia. Psychopharmacology Bulletin. 2002. doi:10.64719/pb.4228. PMID: 12397845.
BibTeX
@article{harvey2002-12397845,
author = {Harvey, Brian Herbert and Meyer, Catharina L. and Manji, Husseini K. and Gallicchio, Vincent S. and Frcpc and others},
title = {{Lithium Salts in AIDS and AIDS-Related Dementia}},
journal = {Psychopharmacology Bulletin},
year = {2002},
doi = {10.64719/pb.4228},
pmid = {12397845},
url = {https://doi.org/10.64719/pb.4228}
}
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