Drug-induced Behaviour

Abstract

This review of the behavioural actions of lithium has so far concentrated on effects produced in animals not subjected to any additional drug treatments. However, a number of investigators have reported the results of studies in which animal behaviour was manipulated pharmacologically in particular ways before the administration of lithium. The rationale behind such work has usually been that since lithium has its most noticeable actions against a pathological state, animal studies are appropriate in which an attempt has been made to induce some aspects of the pathological state as it occurs in humans. This may be done either by pretreating the animal subjects in a manner which produces behavioural changes analogous, in defined ways, to the behaviour of patients, or by identifying in advance the abnormal biochemical states of patients and reproducing these pharmacologically in animals prior to lithium administration. In the former case, the pharmacological pretreatment is chosen on behavioural criteria, whilst in the latter case biochemical criteria are predominant.