title: Cerebellar spongiform degeneration induced by acute lithium intoxication in the rat.
abstract: Cerebellar syndrome has been described after acute lithium intoxication in human. Neuropathological studies have demonstrated neuronal loss and spongiosis in the cerebellum. We describe an animal model of acute lithium-induced cerebellar degeneration. Five hours following administration of lithium chloride (250 mg/kg, i.p.), the cerebellar white matter of seven rats out 14 exhibited extensive spongiform changes. Microdialysis study in the rat cerebellar cortex demonstrated basal concentrations of dopamine (DA), hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxy-3-indolacetic acid (5-HIAA). These metabolites were unaffected by acute lithium intoxication suggesting that the cerebellar toxicity is not due to a modification of dopaminergic or serotoninergic neurotransmission.
authors.affiliation: Service de Neurologie, ULB-Hôpital Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dethy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manto
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bastianelli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gangji
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Laute
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hildebrand
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008094:Lithium / Q000506:poisoning*; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D008094:Lithium; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid