Recent advances in cellular and molecular biology have resulted in the identification of two
novel, hitherto completely unexpected targets of lithium's actions, discoveries that may have
a major impact on the future use of this unique cation in biology and medicine. Chronic
lithium treatment has been demonstrated to markedly increase the levels of the major
neuroprotective protein, bcl-2 in rat frontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. Similar lithium-
induced increases in bcl-2 are also observed in cells of human neuronal origin, and are …