Genetic analysis of lithium-responsive neurological processes using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster

Lithium has been used for many years as one of the most efficacious therapies for bipolar affective disorder. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the mood-stabilizing action of lithium still remain largely unknown. To better understand the evolutionarily conserved mechanisms underlying lithium’s actions in the nervous system, we have studied the mutants in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster whose neurological phenotypes are significantly improved by providing a diet containing lithium. Here I report the molecular identification and characterization of these mutations. The results of our study are expected to provide novel insights into the lithium-responsive neurological processes.