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Thymus gland involution induced by lithium chloride

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Summary

Chronic treatment with lithium chloride produced significant involution of the thymus gland with histological evidence of reduced cellularity due to loss of thymic lymphocytes and a significant reduction in the weight of the gland in normal and adrenalectomized mice. Lithium also increased corticosterone levels in normal mice without changes in adrenal weights. The involution of the thymus gland is most likely due to an effect of lithium on the gland, and it is not mediated by adrenocortical mechanisms or stress.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Neuropharmacology, Missouri Institute of Psychiatry, Missouri University School of Medicine, 5400 Arsenal Street, 63139, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

    J. Pérez-Cruet & J. T. Dancey

  2. Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University School of Medicine, Montreal, (Canada)

    J. Pérez-Cruet & J. T. Dancey

Authors
  1. J. Pérez-Cruet
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  2. J. T. Dancey
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Additional information

Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Mrs Carroll Masson and Mr W. Resetarits for technical assistance and to Dr B. E. P. Murphy for the radioimmunoassays of corticosterone levels. This work was supported by MRC of Canada, grant MA-5130, and the Department of Psychiatry, MIP, University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri.

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Pérez-Cruet, J., Dancey, J.T. Thymus gland involution induced by lithium chloride. Experientia 33, 646–648 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01946552

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