Effects of lithium on inflammatory and neurotrophic factors after an immune challenge in a lisdexamfetamine animal model of mania

• Published in: Revista brasileira de psiquiatria Vol. 41; no. 5; pp. e1 - 427
• Main Authors: Bristot, Giovana, Ascoli, Bruna M, Scotton, Ellen, Géa, Luiza P, Pfaffenseller, Bianca, Kauer-Sant'Anna, Márcia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria 01-10-2019; Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria (ABP)
• Subjects: Bipolar disorder; inflammation; lisdexamfetamine dimesylate; lithium; mania; Original; PSYCHIATRY; lithium; Bipolar disorder; lisdexamfetamine dimesylate; inflammation; mania
• ISSN: 1516-4446; 1809-452X; 1809-452X
• DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2017-0001

To evaluate whether an animal model of mania induced by lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX) has an inflammatory profile and whether immune activation by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) has a cumulative effect on subsequent stimuli in this model. We also evaluated the action of lithium (Li) on inflammatory and neurotrophic factors.
Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to an animal model of mania. After the open-field test, they were given LPS to induce systemic immune activation. Subsequently, the animals' blood was collected, and their serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1β, IL-10, and inducible nitric oxide synthase [iNOS]) were measured.
LDX induced hyperactivity in the animals, but no inflammatory marker levels increased except brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Li had no effect on serum BDNF levels but prevented iNOS levels from increasing in animals subjected to immune activation.
Although Li prevented an LPS-induced increase in serum iNOS levels, its potential anti-inflammatory effects in this animal model of mania were conflicting.