Lithium effects upon components of activity in rats

Summary When lithium chloride was administered to rats several changes occurred in a number of components of activity, some of which were sex-related. There was a reduction in both ambulatory and rearing activity and in behaviour associated particularly with the mouth and nose. The findings are related to a suggestion that lithium effects on behaviour may be more subtherthan hitherto thought.     

Lithium lowers renal,cardiac and splenic ornithine decarboxylase activity in mice

Summary A single i.p. injection of lithium chloride (5–7.5 moles/g b.wt) in mice caused a 70–80% decrease in renal, cardiac and splenic ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity within 1 h, whereas pulmonary ODC activity was unaffected. Lithium chloride did not have any effect on ODC activity in vitro when added to homogenates of the tissues studied. We suggest that the effect of lithium on ODC activity is not direct, but mediated via e.g. hormonal or nervous influence.This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research Council (04X-02212, 14X-00028), and the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lund (Sweden).     

国内外从盐湖卤水中提锂工艺技术研究进展

金属锂及其化合物在能源和新材料方面具有重大应用前景,盐湖卤水提锂将成为21世纪锂盐生产的主攻方向。本文综合分析了国内外盐湖卤水提锂的工艺技术,提出了盐湖卤水提锂的发展趋势。     

Steady-state distribution of lithium during cultivation of dissociated brain cells

Summary The formation of a steady-state intracellular lithium level was studied in the course of cultivation of dissociated nerve cell cultures obtained from chick embryonic brains. When lithium was given at a concentration of 2 mM, in the nutrient medium, at day 5, a steady state intracellular lithium content was achieved after about 30 min of incubation and it did not change significantly during the time of cultivation up to the 13th day in vitro.Acknowledgment. We thank Dr Latzkovits for useful advice and helping in methodology.     

Changes in red blood cell choline and choline-bound lipids with oral lithium

The influence of oral lithium on the concentration of red blood cell choline (Ch), lecithin, glycerophosphorylcholine (GPCh) and phosphorylcholine (PCh) was studied. The concentration of RBC Ch was significantly elevated and the concentration of lecithin, GPCh and PCh significantly depressed in 16 patients on oral lithium compared to 9 age-matched controls. We conclude that lithium markedly depletes the red blood cell of choline containing compounds including lecithin. These changes may be responsible for both the therapeutic efficacy and the toxicity of lithium.     

Changes in red blood cell choline and choline-bound lipids with oral lithium

Summary The influence of oral lithium on the concentration of red blood cell choline (Ch), lecithin, glycerophosphorylcholine (GPCh) and phosphorylcholine (PCh) was studied. The concentration of RBC Ch was significantly elevated and the concentration of lecithin, GPCh and PCh significantly depressed in 16 patients on oral lithium compared to 9 age-matched controls. We conclude that lithium markedly depletes the red blood cell of choline containing compounds including lecithin. These changes may be responsible for both the therapeutic efficacy and the toxicity of lithium.     

Antidepressant drugs can slow or dissociate circadian rhythms

Summary The circadian rest-activity cycle of female hamsters was lengthened by chronic administration of the monoamineoxidase inhibitor antidepressant drug clorgyline. Chronic treatment with clorgyline or the tricyclic antidepressant drug imipramine also induced dissociation of circadian activity rhythm components. Thus these drugs may be added to the very small group of substances (including the prophylactic antidepressant and antimanic drug lithium) that modify circadian frequency and/or coupling between circadian rhythms.A preliminary analysis of these results was presented at the 18th Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Puerto Rico 1979²⁸.Neuropharmacology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health.     

Elektrophysiologische Analyse der Wirkung von Adrenochrom auf das Kaninchengehirn

Summary The action of Adrenochrom on the brain was investigated electrophysiologically on the conscious rabbit. The moderate activation of the somatic behaviour and of the electrical brain-activity can be attributed to an increased activity of the ascending reticular system with simultaneous depression of the medio-thalamic intralaminary recruiting system, as well as to an increased activity of the hippocampus. Specific afferent (somesthetic) systems are only slightly moderated.     

Effect of lithium on normal and chronic granulocytic leukemia colony forming cells (CFU-GM)

Summary The effect of lithium on normal and chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) granulo-monocytic precursors (CFU-GM) has been studied. Lithium slightly increases normal CFU-GM growth whereas it is without effect or moderately inhibitory for CGL CFU-GM. It is suggested that it is unlikely that lithium therapy enhances the proliferation of a silent leukemic clone.Acknowledgments. The authors wish to thank Prof. F. Gavosto for his suggestions. This work was supported by CNR, PFCCN, grant No.80.0155796.     

Photoperiodic regulation of mating behaviour in the linden bug,Pyrrhocoris apterus,is mediated by a brain inhibitory factor

Active inhibition of mating behaviour in a male insect is reported here for the first time. InPyrrhocoris apterus L. (Heteroptera), the most important inhibitory pathway runs from the pars intercerebralis (PI) of the brain and does not pass through the corpora allata. The inhibitory activity of the PI is promoted by short day conditions and suppressed by long days. As the effect of photoperiod is delayed, transfer procedures enabled us to record daily rhythms in mating behaviour during short days. While the extirpation of the PI results in a discrete phase shift of the long day rhythm, there is a much less significant phase shift after this operation during short days. Thus the PI has been shown to mediate the effect of photoperiod on both the inhibition and the rhythm of mating behaviour.     

Role of proline in the imprinting developed by dipeptides — in Tetrahymena Possible role in hormone evolution

The effects of proline and serine dipeptides containing phenylalanine, alanine and leucine on the behaviour of receptors of Tetrahymena were investigated. Only proline-containing dipeptides were able to develop positive imprinting, and the activity depended on which other amino acid was present in the dipeptide. In contrast to the positive imprinting effect of the dipeptides Pro-Phe and Pro-Ala, the dipeptide Pro-Pro and Pro-Leu caused negative imprinting. Serine dipeptides produced negative imprinting in all cases. The possible importance of proline in the evolution of hormone specificity is discussed.     

Hormonal control of pheromone responsiveness in the male black cutwormAgrotis ipsilon

In Lepidoptera, reproduction is linked to chemical communication between conspecific partners. When exposed to the female sex pheromone, males respond by exhibiting typical sexual behaviour which leads to mating. Here we show that presence of the juvenile hormone producing gland (corpora allata) of the male black cutworm,Agrotis ipsilon, is necessary for pheromone responsiveness. Allatectomized males do not show any sexual behaviour, although their antennal olfactory system is functional. Allatectomized males implanted with active corpora allata recover full pheromone receptivity. It is suggested that reproductive processes are synchronized in males and females through endocrine control; timing of the mating activity could serve as an adaptive strategy linked to the migratory behaviour of this species.     

Registration of feeding behaviour in rats by recording food approach behaviour

Summary A method is described in which food approach behaviour of rats is recorded to study feeding behaviour. Between rats, differences in food approach behaviour were observed. For each rat, food approach behaviour was constant over a long period of time. This allows conversion of approach behaviour data into quantified feeding behaviour. Examples of long-term feeding behaviour and of reproducibility of food intake are given.     

Registration of feeding behaviour in rats by recording food approach behaviour.

A method is described in which food approach behaviour of rats is recorded to study feeding behaviour. Between rats, differences in food approach behaviour were observed. For each rat, food approach behaviour was constant over a long period of time. This allows conversion of approach behaviour data into quantified feeding behaviour. Examples of long-term feeding behaviour and of reproducibility of food intake are given.     

Lithium suppresses hibernation in the Turkish hamster

Daily uptake of lithium salt (LiCl) in the drinking water at a rate of over 100 micrograms/g b.wt (or 2.4 mEq/kg) reduced or suppressed natural torpidity (hibernation) in the Turkish hamster (Mesocricetus brandti). The data indicate a direct influence of lithium on clock-related functions controlling the hibernation process rather than indirect effects by preventing gonadal regression and thereby also hibernation.     

Thymus gland involution induced by lithium chloride

Summary Chronic treatment with lithium chloride produced significant involution of the thymus gland with histological evidence of reduced cellularity due to loss of thymic lymphocytes and a significant reduction in the weight of the gland in normal and adrenalectomized mice. Lithium also increased corticosterone levels in normal mice without changes in adrenal weights. The involution of the thymus gland is most likely due to an effect of lithium on the gland, and it is not mediated by adrenocortical mechanisms or stress.Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Mrs Carroll Masson and Mr W. Resetarits for technical assistance and to Dr B. E. P. Murphy for the radioimmunoassays of corticosterone levels. This work was supported by MRC of Canada, grant MA-5130, and the Department of Psychiatry, MIP, University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri.     

Effect of lithium on normal and chronic granulocytic leukemia colony forming cells (CFU-GM)

The effect of lithium on normal and chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) granulo-monocytic precursors (CFU-GM) has been studied. Lithium slightly increases normal CFU-GM growth whereas it is without effect or moderately inhibitory for CGL CFU-GM. It is suggested that it is unlikely that lithium therapy enhances the proliferation of a silent leukemic clone.     

A Ca2+-sensitive myosin light chain kinase, regulating pig carotid smooth muscle actomyosin ATPase

In this paper the correlation between phosphate incorporation into the regulatory light chain of myosin by a Ca2+-dependent myosin light chain kinase, and the Ca2+-sensitive ATPase activity and superprecipitation behaviour of arterial actomyosin, is described.