Effects of Valproate on Intracellular Calcium Ion Signaling: Implications for Mechanistic Research

Mixed results of studies of cellular actions of valproate on intracellular calcium signaling may be the results of use of subjects with milder illness and normal baseline signaling. Studies of animals and normal human subjects may be less informative about the potential mechanism of action of any psychotropic medication than studies of patients with sufficient severity of illness and abnormalities in the dimension of cellular function targeted by the medication.