[Calcium antagonists and the central nervous system]

The calcium antagonists (CA) which are at our disposal are a pharmacological class potentially active on the calcium homeostasis at the central nervous system level. Instead of reviewing the whole possibility of therapeutical potential targets, the authors review the 3 main possible and up-to-date impacts of these compounds: cerebral vasoactivity, neurotransmission, cell death. The actual lack of good clinical trials in those fields is stressed as well as the consequent necessity to stimulate the undertaking of such trials in humans in order to avoid to limit the use of CA in the only cardio-vascular spectrum.