Effects of lithium on foot shock-induced aggressive behavior in rats.

The effects of lithium chloride (LiC1; 1, 2, 3 mEq/kg, i.p.) were studied on foot shock-induced aggressive behavior categorized as 'hyperreactivity' 'pre-attack' and actual 'fight' or 'attack' scores in rats. The attack score was significantly decreased at all doses between 2 to 48 hr post-drug intervals. LiCl also antagonized both amphetamine-induced facilitation and scopolamine-induced suppression of the shock-induced aggression; these effects suggest a probable role of lithium in normalizing induced disturbances of both central adrenergic and cholinergic mechanisms and may at least partly be responsible for its psychotherapeutic efficacy as a "mood normalizer".