Lithium-induced changes in the brain levels of free amino acids in stress-exposed rats.

The effects of stress and lithium on brain free amino acid levels in rats were investigated. Stress caused a significant decrease in the brain levels of alanine, ammonia, arginine, isoleucine, lysine and phenylalanine. Lithium by itself induced a significant increase in the brain levels of arginine and threonine, and a significant decrease in those of alanine, ammonia, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, lysine, phenylalanine and tyrosine. Lithium and stress together significantly decreased brain levels of alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, glycine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine and tyrosine, and significantly increased that of serine.