How does lithium work on manic depression? Clinical and psychological correlates of the inositol theory

Annu Rev Med. 1996:47:47-56. doi: 10.1146/annurev.med.47.1.47.

Abstract

How lithium works in manic-depressive illness is unknown. Recently, however, a powerful hypothesis has been gaining momentum. Distinguished by its testability and clinical implications, the inositol depletion hypothesis of lithium action is relevant to treatment of lithium side effects, to the development of new compounds with the clinical profile of lithium, and to new experimental treatment of depression.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antimanic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antimanic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Bipolar Disorder / drug therapy*
  • Bipolar Disorder / physiopathology
  • Bipolar Disorder / psychology
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / physiology
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Depressive Disorder / physiopathology
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology
  • Diuresis / drug effects
  • Diuresis / physiology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drinking / drug effects
  • Drinking / physiology
  • Humans
  • Inositol / administration & dosage
  • Inositol / metabolism*
  • Lithium / adverse effects
  • Lithium / therapeutic use*
  • Rats

Substances

  • Antimanic Agents
  • Inositol
  • Lithium