Central effects of lithium in rats: lithium levels, body weight and water intake.

Male rats received LiCl for one week either by continuous intracerebroventricular injection from osmotic minipumps or by oral administration in the diet. Control groups received corresponding treatment with NaCl. The intracerebroventricular lithium treatment produced relatively high lithium levels in brain regions (0.6-2.3 mmol/kg) and negligible lithium levels in plasma (less than 0.1 mmol/l) while the oral treatment produced moderate lithium levels in brain regions as well as in blood (0.5-0.9 mmol/kg and 0.5-0.75 mmol/l, respectively). Body weight loss and enhanced water intake occurred in groups given oral lithium treatment as well as in those given lithium via minipumps. The results suggest that administration of lithium by minipumps may be of use to study central actions of lithium.