Effects of acute lithium administration on conditioned avoidance behavior and monoamine synthesis in rats.
The effect of a single injection of various doses of lithium chloride was tested on conditioned avoidance behavior and on the accumulation of DOPA and 5-HTP after inhibition of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase. Lithium specifically suppressed conditioned avoidance behavior and reduced formation of DOPA, but not 5-HTP. The behavioral effect of lithium could be completely antagonized with additional L-DOPA treatment. The results indicate that lithium has a neuroleptlike effect on avoidance behavior, and it is suggested that some of the behavioral effects of lithium may be mediated via interference with central catecholaminergic mechanisms.
D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001592:Benzyl Alcohols / Q000494:pharmacology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006834:Hydrazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008032:Limbic System / Q000378:metabolism; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000378:metabolism; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
D001592:Benzyl Alcohols; D006834:Hydrazines; D014443:Tyrosine; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D014364:Tryptophan; D008094:Lithium; C004297:3-hydroxybenzylhydrazine; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan