Effect of Lithium Carbonate in HIV-Infected Patients

The presence of a strong relationship between HIV infection and psychiatric disorders has been well established. This co morbidity is due to several reasons, mainly the action of the virus on the brain, in addition to stigmatization, and coping with a serious medical illness. The prevalence of bipolar disorder can be as high as 78% in HIV patients [1]. Despite the current trend in favor of atypical antipsychotics in the armamentarium of bipolar disorders [2] lithium is still considered as a first line agent [3]. It has been known that lithium stimulates pluripotent stem cell and improves neutropenia [4]. HIV binds to helper T cells and leads to a low level of CD4 T cells by direct viral killing of infected cells, increased rate of apoptosis, or cytotoxic lymphocytes destruction of infected CD4 cells. It has been recently found that lithium could stimulate CD4 T cell production in IV infected patients [3].