Thermal dehydration-induced thirst in lithium-treated rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2003 May;75(2):341-7
Date
07/23/2003Pubmed ID
12873625DOI
10.1016/s0091-3057(03)00092-3Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0038107686 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 3 CitationsAbstract
Lithium is used as the primary treatment for bipolar disorder but has the common side effects of diuresis and thirst. In the present study, the effects of lithium on water balance responses of male Sprague-Dawley rats to thermal dehydration were examined. Rats ate either unadulterated food or food containing 2 g/kg lithium carbonate for 10 days. Then the control and lithium-treated rats were exposed to either 25 or 37.5 degrees C without food or water for 4 h. The rats were then allowed access to water for 3 h at 25 degrees C or were anesthetized and blood samples were taken. Lithium treatment caused an initial decrease in food intake, a decrease in body weight, and an increase in urine output. Heat exposure caused similar increases in evaporative water loss in control and lithium-treated rats. Heat exposure led to changes in blood indicators of body water status indicative of dehydration, whereas lithium had no effects on blood indicators of body water status. Water intake was increased by both heat exposure and by lithium treatment with the lithium-treated rats being more responsive to the thirst-inducing effects of thermal dehydration. Lithium treatment does not appear to impair water balance responses to heat exposure.
Author List
Barney CC, Kurylo DM, Grobe JLAuthor
Justin L. Grobe PhD Professor in the Physiology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsBody Weight
Dehydration
Drinking
Eating
Fluid Therapy
Hemoglobins
Hot Temperature
Lithium
Male
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Thirst
Urination
Water-Electrolyte Balance
