Modulation of the activity of dopaminergic neurons by SK channels: a potential target for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease?
1 Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Rui Jin Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
2 Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Institute of Health Science, Shanghai Institutes of Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
Abstract
SK channels are small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels that are widely expressed in different neurons with distinct subtypes. They play an important role in modulating synaptic plasticity, dopaminergic neurotransmission, and learning and memory. The present review was mainly focused on the recent findings on the contradictory roles of SK channels in modulating dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra and in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Besides, whether modulation of SK channels could be a potential target for PD treatment was also discussed.
Keywords
small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel; Parkinson’s disease; afterhyperpolarization; dopaminergic neuron
