Vol. 305, Issue 2, 434-439, May 2003

The Effects of Chronic Treatment with the Mood Stabilizers Valproic Acid and Lithium on Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Neuronal Systems

Michelle L. Gilmor, Kelly H. Skelton, Charles B. Nemeroff and Michael J. Owens

Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) plays a preeminent role in coordinating the endocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses to stress. Dysregulation of both hypothalamic and extrahypothalamic CRF systems have been reported in patients with major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Moreover, effective treatment of these conditions leads to normalization of these CRF systems. Although there is virtually no data concerning alterations of CRF systems in bipolar disorder (manic depressive illness), previous work indicates that valproic acid, an anticonvulsant also effective in the treatment of acute mania, alters central CRF neuronal systems. In the current studies, we chronically administered valproic acid and lithium, two clinically effective mood stabilizers, in nonstressed rats to extend our previous findings. Chronic valproic acid administration decreased CRF mRNA expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus; lithium administration increased CRF mRNA expression in the central nucleus of the amygdala. Although valproic acid increased CRF₁ receptor mRNA expression in the cortex, CRF₁ receptor binding was decreased in both the basolateral amygdala and cortex, suggesting that chronic valproate treatment may in fact dampen the overall tone in this central stress pathway. Valproate treatment decreased CRF_2A mRNA expression in both the lateral septum and hypothalamus, although CRF_2A receptor binding was unchanged. Lithium administration decreased CRF₁ mRNA expression in both the amygdala and frontal cortex, but CRF₁ receptor binding also remained unchanged. These results suggest that the therapeutic actions of these mood stabilizers may, in part, result from their actions on central CRF neuronal systems. The distinct actions of each drug on CRF systems may underlie their synergistic clinical effects.