Anxiolytic Effect of Lithium Chloride in Model of PTZ-Induced Seizure

Aims: Epilepsy is a brain disorder characterized by repeated and spontaneous attacks which can lead to neuronal decline or death and behavioral disorders, such as anxiety, and numerous studies have shown neuroprotective effects of the lithium. This study evaluated the anxiolytic effect of administration of lithium chloride (LiCl) in penthylentetrazole (PTZ) induced seizure rat model.
In present experimental study, 50 male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups control, PTZ䦩抝, PTZ⸭, PTZ⸮ and PTZⸯ, randomly. To induce convulsions and epilepsy model, repeated doses of PTZ were injected (40 mg/kg, i.p) for 5 consecutive days. After observing the 5 stages of seizures based on Racine’s scale, test groups, received lithium chloride in three doses (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg/BW, i.p) for 14 days. In order to assess anxiety and exploratory behaviors, elevated plus maze and open field tests were done. Then, the hippocampal level of BDNF was measured using ELISA. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey post hoc.
Findings: Our finding showed an increased rate of anxiety with low level of hippocampal BDNF in PTZ receiver rats. Treatment with lithium chloride especially at the lowest dose (20 mg/kg) showed a significant difference in reducing anxiety and increasing of BDNF level compared to the PTZ receiver group.
Anxiolytic-like effects of lithium may improve the symptoms of anxiety in PTZ-induced seizure.