CALCITONIN AND BIPOLAR DISORDER - A HYPOTHESIS REVISITED

Double-blind trials conducted in the early 1980s showed that subcutane ous injections of salmon calcitonin in patients suffering from mania r esulted in significant decreases in irritability, euphoria and hyperac tivity. Although these results were promising, there were no follow-up studies in this area. A MEDLINE search into the effect of calcitonin on neuronal tissues revealed that calcitonin affects neuronal tissues in a manner similar to that of the currently accepted mood-stabilizing agents - namely by modulating intracellular second messenger signalli ng mechanisms, stabilizing neuronal membranes and inhibiting neuronal calcium influx We suggest that these effects of calcitonin on neuronal tissues, combined with earlier clinical research showing its efficacy in treating the acute symptoms of mania, make calcitonin a candidate for further research in the treatment of bipolar disorder.