Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Delank, Anna-Katharina

Titel

The Role of KCNQ-Channels in the Pathophysiology of Multiple Sclerosis

Ort / Verlag

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Erscheinungsjahr

2021

Quelle

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Multiple sclerosis is associated with changes in neuronal stimulus transmission and ion channel expression. Affected include KCNQ channels, voltage-dependent potassium channels that regulate neuronal activity. The anticonvulsant retigabine opens KCNQ channels and thus reduces neuronal excitability. Prophylactic retigabine therapy improved the outcome of experimental autoimmune encephalitis, an MS animal model. Using the Cuprizone model, we examined the influence of the channels on neurodegeneration and showed that mice treated with retigabine suffered less abnormalities in behavioral experiments. This indicates a better learning and memory ability of the animals, which can be strongly influenced by the neurodegenerative processes. Therefore, there are indications of a neuroprotective property of retigabine and, consequently, of an influence of KCNQ channels in the pathophysiology of MS.