How does inositol-depletion work?
Although observed changes in myo-inositol concentration in patients could be a suitable marker for mood stabilizer treatment, it may be a poor marker of altered InsP signaling in patients prior to treatment. This may particularly be the case if, as suggested by the SMIT gene disruption studies, high brain concentrations of myo-inositol serve other functions that mask changes in signaling. A way around this problem is to observe downstream changes that arise through changes in inositol based signaling. Current research suggests a number of processes that may significantly change as a consequence of reduced inositol concentrations. In this final section, I will consider the consequences of inositol-depletion on cell signaling (Figure 3) and how they may be used to observe effects in mood disorders.
