Summary
Lithium chloride was added in 5 and 10 mM concentrations for different periods of exposition time to dissociated cultures obtained from chicken embryonic brain. When supplementing lithium at day 1 in vitro for five days, a dose-dependent decrease in total protein was observed in the cultures as compared to the sodium-treated controls. Profound reduction was revealed in the length of neuronal processes and in the number of neuronal cell bodies by phase contrast microscopy and by morphometric means. After exposition of lithium in 10 mM concentration for 48 h, beside a slight decrease in number of perikaryons, a marked reduction in process length of neural elements was observed in the 6-day-old tissue cultures. Ultrastructurally, swollen and degenerating nerve processes have been found after lithium treatment suggesting a particular sensitivity of these structures to lithium ion.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amdisen, A.: Monitoring of lithium treatment through determination of lithium concentration. Dan. Med. Bull.22, 277–291 (1975)
Angst, J., Weis, P.: Lithium prophylaxis in recurrent affective disorders. Br. J. Psychiatry116, 604–614 (1970)
Armett, C. J., Ritchie, J. M.: On the permeability of mammalian nonmyelated fibres to sodium and lithium ions. J. Physiol. (Lond.)165, 130–140 (1963)
Baastrup, P.: Prophylactic lithium: double blind discontinuation in manic depressive and recurrent depressive disorders. LancetII, 326–330 (1970)
Beaugé, L.: The interaction of lithium ions with the sodiumpotassium pump in frog skeletal muscle. J. Physiol. (Lond.)246, 397–420 (1975)
Booher, J., Sensenbrenner, M.: Growth and cultivation of dissociated neurons and glial cells from embryonic chick, rat and human brain in flask cultures. Neurobiol.2, 97–105 (1972)
Cohen, S. R., Lajtha, A.: Amino acid transport. In: Handbook of neurochemistry (ed. A. Lajtha, pp. 543–572. London: Plenum Press 1972
Duhm, J., Eisenried, F., Becker, B. F., Greil, W.: Studies on the lithium transport across the red cell membrane. I. Li+ uphill transport by the Na+-dependent Li+ countertransport system of human erythrocytes. Pflügers Arch.364, 147–155 (1976)
Funder, J., Tosteson, D. C., Wieth, J. O.: Effect of bicarbonate on lithium transport in human red cells. J. Gen. Physiol.71, 721–745 (1978)
Haas, M., Schooler, J., Tosteson, D. C.: Coupling of lithium to sodium transport in human red cells. Nature258, 425–427 (1975)
Herrero, F. A.: Lithium carbonate toxicity. J. Am. Med. Assoc.226, 1109–1110 (1973)
Horowitz, L. C., Fisher, G. U.: Acute lithium toxicity. N. Engl. J. Med.281, 1369 (1969)
Johnson, F. N., Vacaflor, L.: Lithium side-effects and toxicity. In: Lithium research and therapy (ed F. N. Johnson), pp. 519–531. London, New York, San Francisco: Academic Press 1975
Mulder, A. H., Snyder, S. H.: Putative central neurotransmitters. In: Molecular and functional neurobiology (ed. W. H. Gispen), pp. 161–200. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1976
Müller-Oerlinghausen, B.: 10 Jahre Lithium-Katamnese. Nervenarzt48, 483–493 (1977)
Nelson, R. W., Cohen, J. L.: Plasma and erythrocyte kinetic considerations in lithium therapy. Am. J. Hosp. Pharm.33, 658–664 (1976)
Pandey, G. N., Javaid, J. I., Davis, J. M., Tosteson, D. C.: Mechanism of lithium transport in red blood cells. Physiologist19, 321 (1976)
Richelson, E.: Lithium ion entry through the sodium channel of cultured mouse neuroblastoma cells: A biochemical study. Science196, 1001–1002 (1977)
Roizin, L., Akai, K., Lawler, H. C., Liu, J. C.: Lithium neurotoxicity effects. II. Electron microscope investigations. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol.30, 142–143 (1971)
Sarkadi, B., Tosteson, D. C., Pandey, G. N., Gunn, R. B.: Characteristics of Li+ transport in human red cells. Fed. Proc.36, 564 (1977)
Schou, M., Thomsen, K.: Lithium prophylaxis of recurrent endogenous affective disorders. In: Lithium research and therapy (ed. F. N. Johnson), pp. 63–84. London, New York, San Francisco: Academic Press 1975
Strayhorn, J. M., Jr., Nash, J. L.: Severe neurotoxicity despite “therapeutic” serum lithium levels. Dis. Nerv. Syst.38, 107–111 (1977)
Thomas, R. C., Simon, W., Oehme, M.: Lithium accumulation by snail neurons measured by a new Li+-sensitive microelectrode. Nature258, 754–756 (1975)
Vacaflor, L.: Lithium side-effects and toxicity: The clinical picture. In: Lithium research and therapy (ed. F. N. Johnson) pp. 211–225: London, New York, San Francisco: Academic Press 1975
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Janka, Z., Szentistványi, I., Joo, F. et al. Effects of lithium on morphological characteristics of dissociated brain cells in culture. Acta Neuropathol 46, 117–121 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00684812
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00684812