Levels of lithium in serum and in scalp hair of the criminals and persons with violent behavior

ABSTRACT

30 patients with criminal and violent behavior from different Egyptian jails and 20 normal age and sex matched persons were selected to serve as control group. Hair and serum lithium levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer for criminal and control persons. A statistically significant low serum and hair lithium levels were found in the criminals compared to the normal persons, whether the criminal behavior was associated with or without motivations for the crime. This finding may be of important social and therapeutic impact, lithium should be tried to control aggressive and criminal behaviors, especially in professional and chronically aggressive persons