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. 1978 Jun;75(6):2991–2993. doi: 10.1073/pnas.75.6.2991

[Met5]Enkephalin content in brain regions of rats treated with lithium.

J C Gillin, J S Hong, H Y Yang, E Costa
PMCID: PMC392693  PMID: 275866

Abstract

In rats, chronic treatment with lithium elicits a dose-dependent increase in the [Met5]enkephalin content of nucleus caudatus and globus pallidus. A single injection of lithium fails to change the striatal [Met5]enkephalin content. The increase in [Met5]enkephalin caused by chronic lithium is proportional to the serum lithium level. The extent of the increase in striatal [Met5]enkephalin content levels off at a value of about 250% that of untreated rats. This increase has a time latency of 2--3 days and reaches a plateau at 5 days. The increase that was present at 5 days was no longer evident if the treatment was continued for 2 weeks. Lithium also increases striatal [Leu5]enkephalin content by an extent equal to the increase of [Met 5]enkephalin. Based on the characteristics of the lithium-induced increase in [Met6]enkephalin content, it is proposed that lithium may reduce the rate of release of [Met5]enkephalin from the small enkephalinergic neurons that are intrinsic to the striatum; this action may be related to a change in the regulation of striatal neurons.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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