Limitations
neuronal injury
DYSFUNCTION
The study results should be interpreted considering various limitations. The participants in our study are homogeneous in terms of ethnicity and gender. Participants are mainly middle-aged females. We also analyzed many biomarkers from a small study sample size which may result in false-positive findings. Despite improving the duration of treatment compared with previous studies, we cannot rule out that prolonged exposure to lithium may cause some changes in the expression of biomarkers. Moreover, most of all, the expression of the biomarkers in both treatment groups indicated no active neuronal injury or dysfunction before the interventions.