This document discusses using lithium supplementation as a public health approach to reducing antisocial behaviors. It notes that current interventions have low effectiveness and antisocial behaviors are linked to genetic and environmental factors. Lithium increases serotonin and norepinephrine levels and gray matter in brain regions involved in emotional regulation. Studies show lithium in drinking water is linked to lower rates of violence and suicide. The conclusion suggests lithium supplementation could help treat antisocial behaviors by addressing anosognosia, or lack of insight into illness.
Intimate Partner Violence (Ipv) Systems With Background
Lithium As A Neuroscience Approach
1. Lithium as a Neuroscience/Public
Health Approach to Reducing
Antisocial Behaviors
James M. DeCarli, MPH, MPA, CHES
University of Southern California
Department of Psychology/Neuroscience
3. Background
20% of people experience victimization by
perpetrators of violent and nonviolent illegal behavior
per year (U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2002)
Behavioral science needs to achieve an understanding
of the causes of ASB to obtain an evidenced-based
approach to control and prevent ASB
4. Background
Only about 12%: shown to reduce juvenile offenders’
recidivism (Lipsey & Wilson, 1998)
ABS has not been shown to be reduced due from
even the best of these programs
While programs have not shown to be effective, this
review takes a neuroscience approach as lithium
supplementation as a potential public health strategy to
reduce and control violence.
7. Barrier to Seeking Treatment
Environmental stimuli might be observed as the
problem among both the antisocial parent and
the child
This becomes a barrier and those are not likely
to seek treatment.
8. Anosognosia
As observed with many mood disorders and antisocial
behaviors nonadherence to treatment are common,
leading to a barrier to being treated as well
Some common themes of nonadherance include fear of
dependency, side effects, discomfort of psychiatric
diagnosis and most importantly denial of illness (Byrne,
2006) or anosognosia
Before one is capable of seeking or accepting treatment
they first need conscious self-awareness of their illness.
9. Antisocial Behaviors:
Neurological Effects
Reduce gray matter (amygdala) emotional
regulation
While those with antisocial and violence
behaviors exhibit reduced gray matter,
specifically among the amygdala in emotional
dysregulation, low level of serotonin is also
common, resulting in an increased risk of
conduct disorder among children.
10. Pharmacokenetics of Lithium
Oral Ingestion
Absorbed
Gastrointestinal
Kidneys
Excreted in breast milk and insignificant amount
in perspiration and feces
Organs affected: Thyroid, hematopoietic system,
kidneys, and heart.
11. Pharmacodynamics of Lithium
Inhibit inositol phosphatases within the neurons
Pathogenesis of Neurotransmitters:
Serotonin (5HT)
Norepinephrine
Increases serotonin and norepinephrine,
Shown to increase grey matter (Sassi, 2002).
13. Aetiology of Anosognosia
Dissociable Interactions and Conscious Experience
(DICE) Model [McGlynn & Schacter,1989]
Lack of awareness
Executive System of complex
Frontal Lobes impairments in
problem solving,
retrieving, and
integrating
information,
behaviorally, socially,
Conscious Awareness System (CAS) and personality
-Inferior Parietal Lobes and Cingulate Cortex changes
Memory Language Sensormotor Vision
14. Efficacy of Lithium
Studies have shown that the incidence of rape,
homicide, and suicide were significantly higher
in areas where the drinking water contained little
or no lithium.
This has confirmed that low level dose of
lithium has a beneficial effect on human
behavior (Schrauzer, 1990).
15. Conclusion
Nutritional lithium supplement could help close this
gap among those with antisocial behaviors who choose
not to seek or accept treatment because of their denial
and lack of conscious self-awareness of illness
Application
Water/Food source
Schools (with high levels of community violence)
Help meet the Health People 2010 leading health
objectives to reduce youth violence
