Does lithium slow the metabolism and lower the creative ability?
I'm not taking lithium but I have a vested interest in knowing this.
Answer:
In a way it does. Lithium (Li+) is molecularly very similar to Sodium the (Na+, one of the key ions that conduct electrical impulses across nerve cells). So what it does is it disguises itself as sodium ions and stabilises the membrane potential of the cell, to keep it from being hyperactive or hypoactive as seen in mood disorders. It also decreases norepinephrine levels and increases serotonin synthesis. The key thing that lithium does is it suppresses glutamate activity, which recently scientists have said that it’s probably the main neurotransmitter responsible for mania, along with others such as dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, serotonin and endorphins.
Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter that controls creativity, so like you said it's very likely that Lithium does suppress its activity. If you don't want to take it, there are definitely other mood stabilisers out there to try.
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