Mogens Schou

Mogens Schou (24 November 1918 – 29 September 2005) was a Danish psychiatrist whose research into lithium led to its utilization as a treatment for bipolar disorder.

Early years Schou was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 24 November 1918. His father was a psychiatrist and medical director of a large mental hospital. Schou chose to study medicine with a specific view to doing research on manic-depressive illness (now more commonly referred to as bipolar disorder). He graduated with a degree in medicine from the University of Copenhagen in 1944. After his training in clinical psychiatry he also studied experimental biology.

Research

Schou's research interests focused on therapeutic uses of lithium for patients with mood disorders.

The psychopharmacological era began in earnest in 1949, with an article published by John Cade about the observed antimanic action of lithium in Australia. Intrigued by these findings Schou, who in the meantime had joined the Psychiatric Research Institute of Aarhus University, confirmed these findings in a double-blind placebo-controlled study with his co-workers in 1954.

In a paper published in 1963, Mogens Schou introduced the term 'mood normalizer' or 'normothymotics' to categorize lithium, as it prevented episodes of depression or mania in bipolar disorder rather than just treating symptoms. Schou's younger brother suffered recurrent depressions that improved with lithium.

Schou was aware of some of the limitations of lithium treatment. He welcomed the introduction of other prophylactic agents into the market. From the available observations he concluded, however, that anti-epileptics and atypical anti-psychotics act on different kinds of bipolar patients to lithium.

In 1988, Schou co-founded and was president of the International Group of Studies on Lithium Treated Patients (IGSLi). The group linked seven centers with clinical research programs on lithium. 1982—John Cade Memorial Award. 1987—Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award. 1995—International Society of Lithium Research's Mogens Schou Prize for Lifetime Achievement. 2000—C.I.N.P's Pioneers in Psychopharmacology Award. 2001—International Society For Bipolar Disorders Mogens Schou Award For Distinguished Contributions. 2004—NARSAD Lifetime Achievement Award.

He has received an honorary doctorate from Charles University in Prague. In recognition of his accomplishments in bipolar medicine, he was made the Honorary President of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders. At the same time, the Mogens Schou awards were created for presentation at the Society's biennial International Conference on Bipolar Disorder. He was twice nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.