Gabriele Sani1, Alessio Simonetti2, Delfina Janiri3, Nerisa Banaj4, Elisa Ambrosi5, Pietro De Rossi6, Valentina Ciullo7, David B Arciniegas8, Fabrizio Piras4, Gianfranco Spalletta9. 1. NESMOS Department (Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University of Rome, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy; Centro Lucio Bini, Rome, Italy; School of Medicine, Mood Disorder Program, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA. 2. Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Centro Lucio Bini, Rome, Italy; Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. 3. Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. 4. IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Rome, Italy. 5. Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Rome, Italy. 6. NESMOS Department (Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), Sapienza University of Rome, School of Medicine and Psychology, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy; Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. 7. IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Rome, Italy; Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, 50139 Italy. 8. Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA. 9. Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Laboratory of Neuropsychiatry, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: g.spalletta@hsantalucia.it.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prior studies on the effects of lithium on limbic and subcortical gray matter volumes are mixed. It is possible that discrepant findings may be explained by the duration of lithium exposure. We investigated this issue in individuals with type I bipolar disorder (BP-I). METHODS: Limbic and subcortical gray matter volume was measured using FreeSurfer in 60 subjects: 15 with BP-I without prior lithium exposure [no-exposure group (NE)]; 15 with BP-I and lithium exposure < 24 months [short-exposure group (SE)]; 15 with BP-I and lithium exposure > 24 months [long-exposure group (LE)]; and 15 healthy controls (HC). RESULTS: No differences in limbic and subcortical gray matter volumes were found between LE and HC. Hippocampal and amygdalar volumes were larger bilaterally in both LE and HC when compared to NE. Amygdalar volumes were larger bilaterally in SE when compared to NE but did not differ from LE. Hippocampal volumes were smaller bilaterally in SE when compared to LE and HC but did not differ from NE. No between-group differences on subcortical gray matter or other limbic structure volumes were observed. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design and concurrent treatment with other medications limit attribution of between-group differences to lithium exposure alone. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of lithium exposure on limbic and subcortical gray matter volumes appears to be time-dependent and relatively specific to the hippocampus and the amygdala, with short-term effects on the amygdala and long-term effects on both structures. These results support the clinical importance of long-term lithium treatment in BP-I.
BACKGROUND: Prior studies on the effects of lithium on limbic and subcortical gray matter volumes are mixed. It is possible that discrepant findings may be explained by the duration of lithium exposure. We investigated this issue in individuals with type I bipolar disorder (BP-I). METHODS: Limbic and subcortical gray matter volume was measured using FreeSurfer in 60 subjects: 15 with BP-I without prior lithium exposure [no-exposure group (NE)]; 15 with BP-I and lithium exposure < 24 months [short-exposure group (SE)]; 15 with BP-I and lithium exposure > 24 months [long-exposure group (LE)]; and 15 healthy controls (HC). RESULTS: No differences in limbic and subcortical gray matter volumes were found between LE and HC. Hippocampal and amygdalar volumes were larger bilaterally in both LE and HC when compared to NE. Amygdalar volumes were larger bilaterally in SE when compared to NE but did not differ from LE. Hippocampal volumes were smaller bilaterally in SE when compared to LE and HC but did not differ from NE. No between-group differences on subcortical gray matter or other limbic structure volumes were observed. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design and concurrent treatment with other medications limit attribution of between-group differences to lithium exposure alone. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of lithium exposure on limbic and subcortical gray matter volumes appears to be time-dependent and relatively specific to the hippocampus and the amygdala, with short-term effects on the amygdala and long-term effects on both structures. These results support the clinical importance of long-term lithium treatment in BP-I.
Authors: Delfina Janiri; Martina Petracca; Lorenzo Moccia; Luca Tricoli; Carla Piano; Francesco Bove; Isabella Imbimbo; Alessio Simonetti; Marco Di Nicola; Gabriele Sani; Paolo Calabresi; Anna Rita Bentivoglio Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2020-11-27 Impact factor: 4.157
Authors: Thomas L Athey; Can Ceritoglu; Daniel J Tward; Kwame S Kutten; J Raymond DePaulo; Kara Glazer; Fernando S Goes; John R Kelsoe; Francis Mondimore; Caroline M Nievergelt; Kelly Rootes-Murdy; Peter P Zandi; J Tilak Ratnanather; Pamela B Mahon Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2021-02-16 Impact factor: 4.157