The behavioral actions of lithium in rodent models: Leads to develop novel therapeutics

• Published in: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 932 - 962
• Main Authors: O’Donnell, Kelley C., Gould, Todd D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 2007
• Subjects: Animal model; Animals; Antidepressant; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Bipolar disorder; Bipolar Disorder - drug therapy; Depression; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Disease Models, Animal; Endophenotype; Humans; Lithium Compounds - pharmacology; Lithium Compounds - therapeutic use; Mania; Manic-depressive illness; Mice; Mice, Inbred Strains; Mood stabilizer; Mouse; Rat; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Species Specificity; Antidepressant; Animal model; Manic-depressive illness; Rat; Mouse; Mood stabilizer; Mania; Bipolar disorder; Depression; Endophenotype
• ISSN: 0149-7634; 1873-7528
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2007.04.002

For nearly as long as lithium has been in clinical use for the treatment of bipolar disorder, depression, and other conditions, investigators have attempted to characterize its effects on behaviors in rodents. Lithium consistently decreases exploratory activity, rearing, aggression, and amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion; and it increases the sensitivity to pilocarpine-induced seizures, decreases immobility time in the forced swim test, and attenuates reserpine-induced hypolocomotion. Lithium also predictably induces conditioned taste aversion and alterations in circadian rhythms. The modulation of stereotypy, sensitization, and reward behavior are less consistent actions of the drug. These behavioral models may be relevant to human symptoms and to clinical endophenotypes. It is likely that the actions of lithium in a subset of these animal models are related to the therapeutic efficacy, as well the side effects, of the drug. We conclude with a brief discussion of various molecular mechanisms by which these lithium-sensitive behaviors may be mediated, and comment on the ways in which rat and mouse models can be used more effectively in the future to address persistent questions about the therapeutically relevant molecular actions of lithium.