Small Molecules as Modulators of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels in Neurological Disorders: State of the Art and Perspectives.

ABSTRACT: Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) are widely expressed in the brain, heart and vessels, smooth and skeletal muscle, as well as in endocrine cells. VGCCs mediate gene transcription, synaptic and neuronal structural plasticity, muscle contraction, the release of hormones and neurotransmitters, and membrane excitability. Therefore, it is not surprising that VGCC dysfunction results in severe pathologies, such as cardiovascular conditions, neurological and psychiatric disorders, altered glycemic levels, and abnormal smooth muscle tone. The latest research findings and clinical evidence increasingly show the critical role played by VGCCs in autism spectrum disorders, Parkinson's disease, drug addiction, pain, and epilepsy. These findings outline the importance of developing selective calci

SUBMITTER: Lanzetti S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8879281 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature