Hippocampal subfield volumes in short- and long-term lithium-treated patients with bipolar I disorder

Patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BP) may experience hippocampal atrophy. Lithium exposure has been associated with increased hippocampal volumes. However, its effects on hippocampal subfields remain to be clarified.

We investigated the effects of short- and long-term lithium exposure on the hippocampus and its subfields in patients affected by bipolar I disorder (BP-I). Hippocampal subfields and total hippocampal volumes were measured in 60 subjects divided into four groups: 15 patients with BP-I who were never exposed to lithium [no-exposure group (NE)], 15 patients with BP-I exposed to lithium for < 24 months [short-exposure group (SE)], 15 patients with BP-I exposed to lithium for > 24 months [long-exposure group (LE)], and 15 healthy control subjects (HC).

The SE and NE groups showed smaller total hippocampal volumes and smaller bilateral cornu ammonis CA2-3, CA4-dentate gyrus (DG), presubiculum, and subiculum volumes compared with HC. The LE group showed larger total hippocampal volumes and bilateral CA2-3, left CA4-DG, left presubiculum, and right subiculum volumes compared with the NE group, and larger volumes of the right CA2-3, left CA4-DG, left presubiculum, and right subiculum compared with the SE group. No differences were found between the LE group and HC or between the SE and NE groups.

Long-term, but not short-term, exposure to lithium treatment may exert neuroprotective effects on specific hippocampal subfields linked to disease progression.