A review of the evidence supporting the use of lithium augmentation therapy for the reduction of suicidal behavior in patients with unipolar depression: Revisiting an overlooked benefit of an older medication

Abstract

Major depressive disorder is a serious, recurrent condition with significant impact on a person's quality of life and functioning, which carries a significant risk of premature death due to suicide. There is evidence that supports the effectiveness of lithium as an augmentation strategy for treatment-resistant depression, as well as for reducing suicidality in this population. This review introduces several theories regarding the proposed mechanism behind lithium's anti-suicidal effects and summarizes a selection of the pertinent literature supporting lithium's beneficial effects on suicidality.