Lithium treatment alters brain concentrations of nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor in a rat model of depression
Open accessAbstract
Nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are proteins involved in neuronal survival and plasticity of dopaminergic, cholinergic and serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system. Since decreased size and impaired function of some neuronal populations may be relevant in depression it has been hypothesized that these molecules may have a functional role in the pathophysiology as well as treatment of depression. Using an animal model of depression, the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rats and their controls, the Flinders Resistant Line (FRL), we investigated the effects of chronic lithium treatment on brain NGF, BDNF and GDNF. Lithium was administered as food supplementation during 6 wk. NGF, BDNF and GDNF measurements were performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Lithium altered the brain concentrations of neurotrophic factors in the hippocampus, frontal cortex, occipital cortex and striatum. Moreover, the changes were different in the two rat strains. Our data support the notion that neurotrophic factors play a role in depression and in the mechanism of the action of lithium.
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Lithium treatment in rats increases GDNF concentrations in the PFC and occipital cortex but decreases them in the hippocampus.
“whereas lithium treatment in rats resulted in increased GDNF concentrations in the PFC and occipital cortex but a decrease in the hippocampus (Angelucci et al. 2003b).”
From Neurotrophic factors and neuroplasticity pathways in the pathophysiology and treatment of depression (2018) · cites this paper as Angelucci et al. 2003b
The GDNF results and Discussion report increased concentrations in the frontal and occipital cortices and decreased concentrations in the hippocampus after lithium treatment. The reported changes were specifically in FRL rats, however, and the measured region is called the frontal cortex rather than the PFC; the citing sentence omits the strain restriction and uses a more specific anatomical label. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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“Received 6 November 2002 ; Reviewed 29 January 2003 ; Revised 27 February 2003 ; Accepted 9 March 2003 Key words : BDNF, Flinders Sensitive Line rat, GDNF, Lithium, NGF.”
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- Authors
- Angelucci, F., Aloe, L., Jiménez-Vasquez, P., & Mathé, A. A.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Mathé, Aleksander A.
- Venue
- The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2003-09
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 225-231
- ISSN
- 1461-1457 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-5111
- OpenAlex
- W2135442608
- Cited by
- 157
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 3.95
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Karolinska Institutet
- Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Nerve injury and regeneration
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
- Keywords
- lithium, depression, nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophic factors, Flinders Sensitive Line rats, rat strain differences, hippocampus, frontal cortex, occipital cortex, striatum
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brain Chemistry, Depression, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Lithium, Nerve Growth Factors, Rats, Inbred Strains, Antimanic Agents, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Rats
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