PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - PEREZ-CRUET, JORGE
AU  - TAGLIAMONTE, ALESSANDRO
AU  - TAGLIAMONTE, PAOLA
AU  - GESSA, GIAN L.
TI  - STIMULATION OF SEROTONIN SYNTHESIS BY LITHIUM
DP  - 1971 Aug 01
TA  - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
PG  - 325--330
VI  - 178
IP  - 2
4099  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/178/2/325.short
4100  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/178/2/325.full
SO  - J Pharmacol Exp Ther1971 Aug 01; 178
AB  - Repeated administrations of lithium salts (Li2CO3 or LiCl, 60 and 85 mg/kg, respectively, twice a day for five days) to rats increased brain 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) by about 80% and brain serotonin by 15 to 20%. The changes were not due to an inhibition of 5-HIAA transport from brain, but to an increase in the rate of synthesis of brain serotonin. Rate of serotonin synthesis was measured by multiplying the rate constant of 5-HIAA decline, after inhibition of monoamine oxidase, by the steady-state level of 5-HIAA. The calculation indicated that lithium increased the synthesis rate of brain serotonin by about 80%. Moreover, chronic treatment with lithium salts also increased the levels of brain tryptophan by about 70%, suggesting that this could be the mechanism by which lithium stimulates serotonin synthesis. © 1971 by The Williams & Wilkins Co.