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Published on: December 9, 2022
Kv7 and K2P Potassium Channels in Thalamocortical Function and Their Therapeutic Potential in Childhood Absence
Anushka Takhi1, Guiscard Seebohm2, Thomas Budde1
1Institute of Physiology I, Münster University, Münster, Germany.
Abstract:
Potassium (K+) channels are one of the key regulators of neuronal excitability and network stability. Among all the potassium channels, the voltage-gated Kv7 (KCNQ) and the two-pore domain potassium (K2P) channels play an important role in stabilizing and maintaining the resting potential of neurons. They are involved in controlling the input resistance and in the generation of rhythmic activity in the thalamocortical network. The main functions of the thalamocortical system are the regulation of sensory processing and the generation of brain rhythms underlying sleep and wakefulness. By this, it is essential to many aspects of cognition. The thalamocortical system is explicitly sensitive to fine changes in potassium conductance. The dysregulation of thalamocortical oscillation, also known as thalamocortical dysrhythmia, has been known to be involved in several psychiatric and neurological disorders. A prototypical thalamocortical dysrhythmia is childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), in which hypersynchronous activity in the form of spike and wave discharges (SWD) induces sudden losses of conscious awareness in patients. This review will summarize the current knowledge on Kv7 and K2P channels in the regulation of synchrony and excitability in the brain and the thalamocortical system in particular, outlining future research directions, highlighting the therapeutic potential of these channels for the treatment of thalamocortical dysrhythmias in general and CAE specifically.
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