Differential effect of lithium on the circadian oscillator in young and old hamsters

Journal Article · Fri Mar 16 04:00:00 EDT 2007 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.01.042· OSTI ID:20979832

Iwahana, Eiko ^[1]; Hamada, Toshiyuki ^[2]; Uchida, Ayumi ^[1]; Shibata, Shigenobu ^[1]

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1. Department of Pharmacology, School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Ohkubo, Shinjuku-ku 169-0072 (Japan)
2. Age Dimension Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8562 (Japan)

Lithium is one of the most commonly used drugs in the prophylaxis and treatment of bipolar disorder. It is also known to lengthen circadian period in several organisms. Previously, we reported that there was the association between lengthening circadian period by lithium and GSK-3 protein and its enzyme activity in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In this study, we show that lithium affects the circadian oscillator in young and old hamster SCN, in an age-dependent manner. We found that basal levels of phosphorylated GSK-3 (pGSK-3) protein expression in old hamsters are much lower than that in young hamsters. Furthermore, in the old hamsters, lithium did not affect the period of the locomotor activity rhythm or pGSK-3 expression, while changing period and pGSK-3 in the younger animals. These results indicate that the content of pGSK-3 in the SCN has an important role in age-dependent effects of lithium on the circadian oscillator.

• OSTI ID: 20979832
• Journal Information: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Journal Name: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 354; ISSN 0006-291X; ISSN BBRCA9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
AGE DEPENDENCE
AGING
DRUGS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
HAMSTERS
LITHIUM
MICE
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
PROTEINS
SCANDIUM NITRIDES