Lead exposure during infancy permanently increases lithium-induced polydipsia

Lead (200 milligrams per kilogram) was administered daily by intubation to Long-Evans rats on days 3 through 30 of life. Thirty to 180 days after cessation of lead administration, the lead-treated rats were consistently more polydipsic after lithium administration (2 millimoles per kilogram per day) than were pair-treated controls. Lithium increased the plasma renin activity equally in both the lead-treated and the control groups. These data are evidence that there may be permanent neural changes induced by postnatal exposure to lead that are manifested by pharmacological challenge with lithium.