Lithium levels in monkey and human brain after chronic, therapeutic, oral dosage.
Lithium levels in 32 different brain areas of 5 macacus rhesus receiving 13 mg/kg daily orally of lithium carbonate for 3-6 weeks are reported. These vary from 0.36 +/- 0.08 to 0.82 +/- 0.35 meq/kg. Levels have also been determined for most of the tissues and organs of these monkeys. They vary from 0.25 meq/kg for the carotid artery to 13.71 and 13.61 meq/liter or kg for urine or toe nails. The manic-depressive patient involved died of acute alcoholic and darvon toxicity. His whole blood level of Li was 0.86 meq/L. Two of the 16 brain levels investigated amounted to 1.49 and 1.21 meq/kg (retrosplenial cingulate gyrus and caudate nucleus). Others were as low as 0.09 meq/kg (brain stem). Li levels in a number of organs of this patient were similar to those in monkeys. Possible conclusions from these values are discussed.
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000882:Haplorhini; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D009928:Organ Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity
D008094:Lithium