The Lithium Chloride Effect on Anxiety, Exploratory Activity, and Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels of the Hippocampus in a Rat Model of TMT Intoxication

Trimethyltin (TMT) is an organotin neurotoxicant which causes selective degeneration in central nervous system such as hippocampus. TMT intoxication is the cause of mood-cognitive and motor deficits in human and rodents. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of lithium chloride (LiCl) on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in the hippocampus and anxiety-exploratory behaviors in TMT intoxication rat model.
In order to induce intoxication, TMT (8 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally to the rats. The test groups (TMT) received 0.5, 1 and 1.5 meq/kg of LiCl respectively and the TMT䦩抝 group received normal saline for 14 days after TMT intoxication. The elevated plus maze, dark-light box and open field tests were conducted in order to investigate the anxiety symptoms and exploratory behaviors. Then, the hippocampal level of BDNF was measured using ELISA.
The findings indicated an increase in anxiety behaviors and a decrease in exploratory ones. In addition, the hippocampal level of BDNF was decreased in the TMT-treated rats. However, LiCl treatment revealed significant effects on decreasing the anxiety level with exploratory behaviors modification in the behavioral tests.
LiCl, having sufficient neuroprotective effects, can be used as a solution to manage the anxiety symptoms and cognition deficits after TMT intoxication.