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Neuroscience Congress 2019 Journal of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Research | Volume 4
Page 22
April 11-12, 2019 | Barcelona, Spain
NEUROSCIENCE AND
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS
2nd International Conference on
OF EXCELLENCE
IN INTERNATIONAL
MEETINGS
YEARS
LITHIUM UTILIZES HIDDEN CELLULAR
‘FAIL-SAFE-MECHANISMS’
Anew unified model for Lithium’s mode of therapeutic action has re-
cently been proposed.
Lithium’s many protective actions provide evidence for the existence of
a set of low-cell [Mg++] sensitive, cell-protection systems. To survive in
conditions associated with a very low cell [Mg++], (neuronal) cells will re-
quire‘Fail-Safe’mechanisms, as below a critically low intracellular [Mg++],
many Mg++ requiring systems risk grinding to a halt. This latent vulner-
ability implies the existence of specific protective responses, activated
by a low-intracellular [Mg++], at times, (particularly post head- injury),
and used as a metabolic ‘alarm-signal’. These ‘fail-safe’systems would also
help regulate, buffer, and restore cell [Mg++], and as Li+mimics a low cell
[Mg++] level, activating these pre-existing systems provides the underly-
ing basis of Lithium’s therapeutic effects.
The ‘fail-safe’-model postulates the existence of pre-programmed bio-
chemical responses, adapted to provide protection against t.b.i., mechan-
ical brain injury; involving the activation of pathways sensitive to a low-
free cell [Mg++], these appear to be ‘parasitically’ utilised by Lithium to
generate its therapeutic effects. These systems would underpin neuronal
cell protection, and provide a key biochemical mechanism for stabilising
mood, and providing intrinsic mental and cellular resilience.
Arthur Ernst van Woerkom, J Neurol Neurorehabil Res 2019, Volume 4
Arthur Ernst van Woerkom is a general adult
psychiatrist. Completed his training in natural
sciences for medicine at Trinity Hall, and Ad-
denbrookes, Cambridge), and he have a long
standing interest in the biochemistry of mood
disorders, schizophrenia and psychosis. Many
years ago, before he started working in the field
of psychiatry, he proposed that major hallucino-
gens such as LSD and mescaline act in key part
by disrupting the fine structure of consciousness
by causing the collapse of tubulin and actin relat-
ed cytoskeletal mechanisms.
For a few years he was in an NHS funded research
fellowship at the department of psychiatry with
Prof Martin Roth. For a time, he was an honory se-
nior clinical lecturer in psychiatry in Birmingham.
Arthur Ernst vanWoerkom
South Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK
BIOGRAPHY