Effect of lithium on stress-induced changes in the brain levels of monoamines in rats.
The effect of lithium on the brain levels of monoamines was examined in stress-exposed rats. It was found that stress lowered brain levels of noradrenaline and serotonin and had no effect on the brain level of dopamine. Lithium, alone, caused a decrease in brain levels of noradrenaline and dopamine, but not in serotonin. Nevertheless, the diminished level of serotonin in stress-exposed rats increased by lithium treatment. It may be possible to make a correlation between the later finding with the inhibitory effect of lithium on aggression in human beings and animals.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism*
D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D008094:Lithium; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine