Effects of lithium on the brain in bipolar disorder: confirming a mechanism of action

Collaborative research carried out by the CEA, Inserm, the Institut Pasteur, the FondaMental Foundation, Mondor University Hospitals and Grenoble University Hospital has shed new light on the role of lithium in bipolar disorder. The NODDI model of water diffusion measured by diffusion MRI was used to analyze the brain microstructure. The results indicated that dendritic density in the frontal cortex was higher in patients treated with lithium. This suggests that improved brain plasticity and interneuronal communication in this brain region could be behind the beneficial effects of lithium in bipolar disorder. The findings are published in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.