NCMD Theme seminar 10th July 2026
NCMD Theme seminar 10th July 2026
Talk 1 – Are UK Laboratories Keeping Pace with Lithium Monitoring Guidelines? Results from a National Survey
Presented by Mohammed Aasim Mazhar, 5th Year Medical Student, Â鶹´«Ã½
lithium has a narrow therapeutic index of 0.4–1.0 mmol/L, meaning precise serum monitoring is essential to ensure patient safety. Updated clinical guidance from the International Society of Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) and the British National Formulary (BNF) now recommends age specific reference windows, including a lowered range of 0.4–0.8 mmol/L for older adults to mitigate the risk of toxicity. While previous international data highlighted an implementation gap where laboratories fell behind guidelines by continuing to report standard adult reference ranges, the baseline across the NHS has remained unstudied.
Our national service evaluation surveyed 37 UK biochemistry departments to assess the alignment of laboratory reporting practices. We found that while there was national consensus regarding the standard adult therapeutic range (0.4–1.0 mmol/L), only 21.6% (n = 8/37) utilised age-dependent reference ranges. Furthermore, the evaluation mapped variations in critical toxicity thresholds and the methods used to notify clinical teams of potentially toxic results.
I am a final-year medical student at Â鶹´«Ã½ interested in pursuing a career as an academic psychiatrist. I undertook a research elective with Team Lithium, a research team affiliated with Â鶹´«Ã½, where we conducted a survey on laboratory reporting practices regarding lithium, specifically focusing on the implementation of recent guidance from the BNF and ISBD regarding a lowered serum lithium reference range for patients aged over 65. Moving forward, I will be relocating to York to begin the
Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP), where I hope to continue contributing to clinical research within psychiatry.
Talk 2 – Depressive symptoms in Lewy Body Diseases: The white matter integrity of dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways
Presented by Neave Woollam, Undergraduate Psychology Student, Â鶹´«Ã½
Depressive symptoms in Lewy body diseases (LBD) are prevalent and associated with poorer quality of life, higher caregiver burden and cognitive and functional decline. Additionally, neuropsychiatric symptoms are a research priority for people with lived experience of LBD.
Research suggests that degeneration within dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways may contribute to symptom development, yet
the structural connectivity of these pathways has not been examined in relation to depression in LBD.
This presentation will explore white matter structural connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD), PD with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and MCI with Lewy Bodies. Tract-based spatial statistics were used to assess voxel-wise measures of white matter microstructural integrity and probabilistic tractography was employed to assess structural connectivity
within dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways. Findings from these analyses will be presented and discussed.
Neave recently finished studying UG psychology with a professional placement year at Â鶹´«Ã½
Via TEAMS (click here to )
Meeting ID: 322 142 039 734 840
Passcode: b8Wk9iX9