It has been suggested that lithium exerts its antimanic effect by facilitation of noradrenaline uptake into adrenergic neurones. Evidence in support of this hypothesis has been obtained from pharmacological experiments in which the effects of lithium were observed on isolated tissue preparations and in whole animals. The effectiveness of lithium in facilitating the uptake of noradrenaline was greater under conditions of reduced noradrenaline uptake, as in the presence of cocaine, than under control conditions.
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