Effect of lithium in pyramidal neurons of Cornu Ammonis in an animal model

Abstract

Bipolar disorder has been associated with a decrease in hippocampal size, and lithium appears to reverse this neuroanatomical abnormality. The objective of this work was to evaluate, at a cellular level, the size of both cell body and nucleus of pyramidal neurons located throughout the Cornu Ammonis (CA1 to CA4 regions). To perform this duty, we used 16 rats that were randomized into two groups: control and dietary lithium-treated. After one month, they were sacrificed and their brains removed for histopathological analysis. Serial photos of the entire Cornu Ammonis were taken and, after dividing them into 4 regions of interest, we measured the cell body and nucleus on each pyramidal neuron belonging to the first 5 photos of each region of interest. As a result of this histological analysis, cell body area and nuclear area were significantly larger in the experimental group in a specific area of the Cornu Ammonis that could correspond to CA2 or the transition between CA1 and CA2. These results suggest that the effect of lithium is not homogeneous throughout the hippocampus and allows directing future studies to a specific area of this structure.