G-PROTEIN-MEDIATED SIGNAL-TRANSDUCTION AS A TARGET OF ANTIDEPRESSANT AND ANTIBIPOLAR DRUG-ACTION - EVIDENCE FROM MODEL SYSTEMS

While the molecular locus of antidepressant and antibipolar drug actio n has not yet been established, it has become increasingly likely that the targets of such drugs lie distal to neurotransmitter receptors al ong the signal transduction pathway. These targets are likely to invol ve G protein-mediated signal transduction systems such as adenylyl cyc lase and phospholipase C. This article will demonstrate model systems that have been developed in an attempt to determine how and where thes e drugs work. It appears that these model systems not only represent g ood experimental paradigms for studying the mechanisms of antibipolar and antimanic drugs, but are useful as simplified, yet realistic venue s in which to test the speed and efficacy of suspected therapeutic age nts.