title: myo-inositol: a newly identified nonnitrogenous osmoregulatory molecule in mammalian brain.
abstract: Sugar alcohols have been found to play an important osmoregulatory role both in unicellular organisms and, more recently, in multicellular organisms, including mammals. This study shows that myo-inositol accumulates in the brains of chronically hypernatremic mice, as had been earlier found in rats, and demonstrates for the first time a profound decrease of myo-inositol in the brains of chronically hyponatremic mice. Together with decreases in better known cerebral osmoles (amino acids and related nitrogenous compounds), the decrease in myo-inositol apparently allows the brain to balance its intracellular osmolality with that of the plasma, permitting a normal brain water content (no edema) despite profound hyponatremia.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Children's Hospital, Missouri 63110.
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Thurston
authors: W R
authors: WR
authors: Sherman
authors: R E
authors: RE
authors: Hauhart
authors: R F
authors: RF
authors: Kloepper
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D006955:Hypernatremia / Q000378:metabolism; D007010:Hyponatremia / Q000378:metabolism; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
chemical_list: D007294:Inositol