Lithium attenuates the development of lesion-induced behavioral supersensitivity to apomorphine

The unilateral nigrostriatal lesion preparation was used to examine the effect of long-term treatment with lithium on rotation in response to the dopamine agonists apomorphine and amphetamine. Rats with unilateral striatal denervation received daily injections of either lithium chloride or saline for 14 days, beginning 24 h after surgery. Rats treated with lithium showed a reversible reduction in apomorphine-induced contralateral rotation. Lithium treatment failed to substantially alter amphetamine-induced ipsilateral rotation. When treatment was initiated 14 days after surgery, rats treated with lithium showed no reduction in apomorphine-induced contralateral rotation. These findings suggest that lithium attenuates the development of lesion-induced behavioral supersensitivity but fails to alter supersensitivity which has developed previously.