title: Lithium's effect in forced-swim test is blood level dependent but not dependent on weight loss.
abstract: The effects of lithium in models of depression are often inconsistent. We aimed to replicate a regimen that induces robust antidepressant effects in the forced-swim test. Mice were treated with three different doses of lithium chloride (LiCl) 0.25, 0.4 or 0.5% in food and the forced-swim test or open field test was performed on day 15. We yoked control mice to food deprivation to test whether lithium-induced food deprivation could cause the lithium effects in the forced-swim test. Treatment with LiCl doses leading to blood levels of 1.3 and 1.4 mmol/l led to highly significant reduction in immobility time in the forced-swim test, but the dose leading to a blood level of 0.8 mmol/l was not different from controls in immobility time. Mice yoked to lithium-induced food deprivation showed no difference in the forced-swim test compared with controls. In conclusion these results suggest that lithium effects in mice in the forced-swim test are dose dependent but not owing to lithium-induced weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Stanley Research Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev and Mental Health Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel. yuly@bgu.ac.il
authors.forename: Yuly
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bersudsky
authors.forename: Alona
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shaldubina
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Belmaker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D005508:Food Deprivation; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018021:Lithium Chloride