A review of lithium effects on inhibitory processes in animals

Lithium counteracts impulsivity and aggression in affective disorders, two emotion-related facets of inhibitory control. The question arises as to whether lithium affects inhibitory processes in affective and cognitive domains in animals. The effects of lithium were compared with placebo on learning tasks and tests of exploratory activity predominantly in rats and mice. There is evidence from a few studies that lithium facilitates inhibitory processes in regard to perseverative responding in left-right alternation and hole-board learning, premature responding in serial reaction time, delay-discounting impulsivity, and prepulse inhibition, while impeding inhibitory processes in the latent inhibition paradigm as well as tests of exploratory activity as seen in the elevated plus-maze and 2-choice spontaneous alternation. Lithium may lead either to greater or lesser inhibitory control depending on perceived rewards relative to dangers.