@article{ref1,
title="Position sensitive measurement of trace lithium in the brain with NIK (neutron-induced coincidence method) in suicide",
journal="Scientific reports",
year="2021",
author="Schoepfer, J. and Gernhäuser, R. and Lichtinger, S. and Stöver, A. and Bendel, M. and Delbridge, C. and Widmann, T. and Winkler, S. and Graw, M.",
volume="11",
number="1",
pages="6823-6823",
abstract="Mood disorder is the leading intrinsic risk factor for suicidal ideation. Questioning any potency of mood-stabilizers, the monovalent cation lithium still holds the throne in medical psychiatric treatment. Furthermore, lithium's anti-aggressive and suicide-preventive capacity in clinical practice is well established. But little is still known about trace lithium distribution and any associated metabolic effects in the human body. We applied a new technique (neutron-induced coincidence method &quot;NIK&quot;) utilizing the (6)Li(n,α)(3)H reaction for the position sensitive, 3D spatially resolved detection of lithium traces in post-mortem human brain tissue in suicide versus control. NIK allowed, for the first time in lithium research, to collect a three dimensional high resolution map of the regional trace lithium content in the non lithium-medicated human brain. The results show an anisotropic distribution of lithium, thus indicating a homeostatic regulation under physiological conditions as a remarkable link to essentiality. In contrast to suicide we could empirically prove significantly higher endogenous lithium concentrations in white compared to gray matter as a general trend in non-suicidal individuals and lower lithium concentrations in emotion-modulating regions in suicide.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2045-2322",
doi="10.1038/s41598-021-86377-x",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86377-x"
}