Lithium treatment and serotoninergic function. Neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to intravenous tryptophan in affective disorder.
Evidence suggests that lithium treatment alters serotoninergic (5-HT) function in laboratory animals and humans. Since 5-HT function may be abnormal in patients with affective disorders, we studied 23 such patients by measuring responses to intravenous infusion of the 5-HT precursor tryptophan before and during short-term (less than one week) or long-term (greater than three weeks) lithium treatment. The prolactin response to tryptophan was significantly enhanced after short-term lithium treatment; long-term lithium treatment had no effect. Other studies have shown that the prolactin response to tryptophan is also enhanced after long-term tricyclic antidepressant treatment in depressed patients and after short- and long-term lithium treatment in healthy subjects. The present findings suggest that lithium treatment enhances 5-HT function, but that homeostatic responses of the 5-HT system to long-term lithium treatment may differ in patients with affective disorder and healthy subjects.
Price
L H
LH
Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven 06508.
Charney
D S
DS
Delgado
P L
PL
Heninger
G R
GR
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology
D012701:Serotonin; D003907:Dexamethasone; D014364:Tryptophan; D011388:Prolactin; D008094:Lithium; D006854:Hydrocortisone