[Effects of lithium chloride on norepinephrine and dopamine metabolism in the rat brain]

Lithium chloride (LiCl) was injected acutely (2.4 mEq/kg and 1.2mEq/kg X 2 for 3 hr, i.p.) or subacutely (2.5 mEq/kg X 2/day for 4.5 days, i.p.) in rats, and behavioral effects, steady state levels of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5HT) and the metabolism of intraventricularly administered 14C-NE and 14C-DA in the brain were investigated. Acute and subacute administratin of LiCl suppressed the spontaneous motor activity, but had no effect on the levels of NE, DA and 5HT in the brain. Acute administration of LiCl did not influence the total radioactivity and the levels of NE and its metabolites in NE metabolism, while subacute administration of LiCl increased the deaminated metabolites. In DA metabolism, the deaminated metabolites were decreased by acute administration of LiCl and the O-methylated deaminated metabolites were increased by subacute administration. From these results, it is suggested that LiCl stimulates the monoamine oxidase pathway in NE and DA metabolism and the behavioral sedative effects of LiCl are attributed to the reduced functional activity of brain NE and DA neurons.