Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Προαγωγή ψυχικής υγείας - Πρόληψη ψυχιατρικών διαταραχώνLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Cheiladaki Krinio-Konstantina
Supervisors info:
Ελευθερία Τσάλτα, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Πενταγιώτισσα Στεφανάτου, ΕΔΙΠ, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Μαρία Βλασσοπούλου, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Συγκριτική διερεύνηση της χρόνιας λήψης λιθίου επί της νοητικής ευελιξίας σε ασθενείς με Διπολική Διαταραχή και φυσιολογικά ζώα εργαστηρίου
Translated title:
Comparative investigation of chronic lithium intake on mental flexibility in patients with Bipolar Disorder and normal laboratory animals
Summary:
The use of lithium in psychiatry is of major importance. Nowadays, lithium is considered a first-line treatment, acting as a mood-stabilizing agent for the maintenance treatment of Bipolar Disorder (BD). Recent studies support its positive effect on both the increase in gray matter volume and white matter integrity and the reduction of cognitive decline in bipolar patients. Interestingly, several experimental data point to the neuroprotective benefit of this ion, supporting the extension of its use to other diseases. The present study attempted to combine these two fields in translational research, in order to investigate the effect of lithium on cognitive flexibility in patients with BD and normal laboratory rats. Regarding the clinical part, the study was performed with 41 participants (N = 41), 14 of whom were patients with a primary diagnosis of type I or II BD in long-term lithium treatment, 14 were patients with a main diagnosis of type I or II BD in treatment with valproic acid and 13 were healthy controls. Neuropsychological test from the CANTAB battery measuring cognitive flexibility (IED) was used. Regarding the experimental part, the rats used (N = 19) were divided into 3 drug groups, based on the substances they received: (a) 7 animals on chronic lithium (b) 6 animals on valproate and (c) 6 animals on saline (CONTROL). We trained rats to perform an attentional set-shifting task that was measuring cognitive flexibility. The results of the clinical part suggest than no differences were detected among the three groups at any stage of the IED. From the results of the experimental part it was found out that the CONTROL group took more time to make a choice in the ID-R stage, whereas the LITHIUM GROUP needed more time to make a choice in the ED-R stage. Nevertheless, more translation studies need to be carried out, as well as further investigation on the effect of lithium on this cognitive should be conducted, as the literature on this field remains scarce.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Lithium, Cognitive flexibility, Bipolar disorder, Rats
Number of references:
150
