X-Message-Number: 15121
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 17:49:28 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: enhancement of neurogenesis by lithium

Title
  Enhancement of hippocampal neurogenesis by
  lithium.
Source
  Journal of Neurochemistry.  75(4):1729-34, 2000 Oct.
Abstract
  Increasing evidence suggests that mood disorders are associated with a
  reduction in regional CNS volume and neuronal and glial cell atrophy or loss.
  Lithium, a mainstay in the treatment of mood disorders, has
  recently been demonstrated to robustly increase the levels of the
  cytoprotective B-cell lymphoma protein-2 (bcl-2) in areas of rodent brain and
  in cultured cells. In view of bcl-2's antiapoptotic and neurotrophic effects,
  the present study was undertaken to determine if lithium
  affects neurogenesis in the adult rodent hippocampus. Mice
  were chronically treated with lithium, and
  5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling of dividing cells was conducted over
  12 days. Immunohistochemical analysis was undertaken 1 day after the last
  injection, and three-dimensional stereological cell counting revealed that
  lithium produced a significant 25% increase in the
  BrdU-labeled cells in the dentate gyrus. Double-labeling immunofluorescence
  studies were undertaken to co-localize BrdU-positive cells with
  neuron-specific nuclear protein and showed that approximately 65% of the
  cells were double-labeled. These results add to the growing body of evidence
  suggesting that mood stabilizers and antidepressants exert neurotrophic
  effects and may therefore be of use in the long-term treatment of other
  neuropsychiatric disorders.

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