Lithium treatment strongly inhibits choline transport in human erythrocytes.

1 The influx of [(14)C]-choline and the efflux of (22)Na in human erythrocytes were measured in vitro using blood from patients treated with lithium, patients not on lithium and healthy individuals. 2 The administration of lithium to patients significantly reduces the transport of choline; during the first 6 weeks of treatment the influx of choline is about half the normal rate, later it falls to around 10%. 3 This inhibition of choline transport is not dependent on the presence of lithium in the incubation medium. 4 The active and passive efflux of sodium are apparently not affected by lithium treatment.