Abstract
Objectives: Patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BP) may experience hippocampal atrophy. Lithium exposure has been associated with increased hippocampal volumes. However, its effects on hippocampal subfields remain to be clarified. Methods: We investigated the effects of short- and long-term lithium exposure on the hippocampus and its subfields in patients affected by bipolar I disorder (BP-I). Hippocampal subfields and total hippocampal volumes were measured in 60 subjects divided into four groups: 15 patients with BP-I who were never exposed to lithium [no-exposure group (NE)], 15 patients with BP-I exposed to lithium for <24 months [short-exposure group (SE)], 15 patients with BP-I exposed to lithium for > 24 months [long-exposure group (LE)], and 15 healthy control subjects (HC). Results: The SE and NE groups showed smaller total hippocampal volumes and smaller bilateral cornu ammonis CA2-3, CA4-dentate gyrus (DG), presubiculum, and subiculum volumes compared with HC. The LE group showed larger total hippocampal volumes and bilateral CA2-3, left CA4-DG, left presubiculum, and right subiculum volumes compared with the NE group, and larger volumes of the right CA2-3, left CA4-DG, left presubiculum, and right subiculum compared with the SE group. No differences were found between the LE group and HC or between the SE and NE groups. Conclusions: Long-term, but not short-term, exposure to lithium treatment may exert neuroprotective effects on specific hippocampal subfields linked to disease progression.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 352-362 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Bipolar Disorders |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 1 2016 |
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Keywords
- bipolar disorder
- hippocampal subfields
- hippocampus
- lithium
- treatment
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Biological Psychiatry
Cite this
Hippocampal subfield volumes in short- and long-term lithium-treated patients with bipolar I disorder. / Simonetti, Alessio; Sani, Gabriele; Dacquino, Claudia; Piras, Fabrizio; De Rossi, Pietro; Caltagirone, Carlo; Coryell, William; Spalletta, Gianfranco.
In: Bipolar Disorders, Vol. 18, No. 4, 01.06.2016, p. 352-362.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Hippocampal subfield volumes in short- and long-term lithium-treated patients with bipolar I disorder
AU - Simonetti, Alessio
AU - Sani, Gabriele
AU - Dacquino, Claudia
AU - Piras, Fabrizio
AU - De Rossi, Pietro
AU - Caltagirone, Carlo
AU - Coryell, William
AU - Spalletta, Gianfranco
PY - 2016/6/1
Y1 - 2016/6/1
N2 - Objectives: Patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BP) may experience hippocampal atrophy. Lithium exposure has been associated with increased hippocampal volumes. However, its effects on hippocampal subfields remain to be clarified. Methods: We investigated the effects of short- and long-term lithium exposure on the hippocampus and its subfields in patients affected by bipolar I disorder (BP-I). Hippocampal subfields and total hippocampal volumes were measured in 60 subjects divided into four groups: 15 patients with BP-I who were never exposed to lithium [no-exposure group (NE)], 15 patients with BP-I exposed to lithium for <24 months [short-exposure group (SE)], 15 patients with BP-I exposed to lithium for > 24 months [long-exposure group (LE)], and 15 healthy control subjects (HC). Results: The SE and NE groups showed smaller total hippocampal volumes and smaller bilateral cornu ammonis CA2-3, CA4-dentate gyrus (DG), presubiculum, and subiculum volumes compared with HC. The LE group showed larger total hippocampal volumes and bilateral CA2-3, left CA4-DG, left presubiculum, and right subiculum volumes compared with the NE group, and larger volumes of the right CA2-3, left CA4-DG, left presubiculum, and right subiculum compared with the SE group. No differences were found between the LE group and HC or between the SE and NE groups. Conclusions: Long-term, but not short-term, exposure to lithium treatment may exert neuroprotective effects on specific hippocampal subfields linked to disease progression.
AB - Objectives: Patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BP) may experience hippocampal atrophy. Lithium exposure has been associated with increased hippocampal volumes. However, its effects on hippocampal subfields remain to be clarified. Methods: We investigated the effects of short- and long-term lithium exposure on the hippocampus and its subfields in patients affected by bipolar I disorder (BP-I). Hippocampal subfields and total hippocampal volumes were measured in 60 subjects divided into four groups: 15 patients with BP-I who were never exposed to lithium [no-exposure group (NE)], 15 patients with BP-I exposed to lithium for <24 months [short-exposure group (SE)], 15 patients with BP-I exposed to lithium for > 24 months [long-exposure group (LE)], and 15 healthy control subjects (HC). Results: The SE and NE groups showed smaller total hippocampal volumes and smaller bilateral cornu ammonis CA2-3, CA4-dentate gyrus (DG), presubiculum, and subiculum volumes compared with HC. The LE group showed larger total hippocampal volumes and bilateral CA2-3, left CA4-DG, left presubiculum, and right subiculum volumes compared with the NE group, and larger volumes of the right CA2-3, left CA4-DG, left presubiculum, and right subiculum compared with the SE group. No differences were found between the LE group and HC or between the SE and NE groups. Conclusions: Long-term, but not short-term, exposure to lithium treatment may exert neuroprotective effects on specific hippocampal subfields linked to disease progression.
KW - bipolar disorder
KW - hippocampal subfields
KW - hippocampus
KW - lithium
KW - treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84976645950&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84976645950&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/bdi.12394
DO - 10.1111/bdi.12394
M3 - Article
C2 - 27237705
AN - SCOPUS:84976645950
VL - 18
SP - 352
EP - 362
JO - Bipolar Disorders
JF - Bipolar Disorders
SN - 1398-5647
IS - 4
ER -