Effects of lithium on behaviour induced by phencyclidine and amphetamine in rats.

d-Amphetamine and phencyclidine (PCP) have both been reported to produce manic-like sequela in humans, effects that are reportedly antagonized by lithium. To test the hypothesis that the acute effects of these drugs in rats may serve as models of mania, the behaviors induced by d-amphetamine (3 mg/kg) or PCP (5 mg/kg) were quantified on behavioral rating scales subsequent to chronic dietary pretreatment with lithium carbonate or control diet. On day 14 of pretreatment, PCP-induced stereotyped behaviors and ataxia were potentiated in rats receiving lithium (plasma levels 1.0 +/- 0.23 mEq/l). PCP-induced locomotor activity was not affected by lithium pretreatment. Stereotypies and locomotion induced by d-amphetamine were also not significantly affected by lithium pretreatment. These results suggest that neither PCP nor amphetamine administered acutely to rats will be useful models to explore the manic-like symptoms produced by these drugs in humans.