TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2024//
TI  - The role of KCNQ channel activators in management of major depressive disorder
JO  - Journal of affective disorders
A1  - Meshkat, Shakila
A1  - Kwan, Angela T. H.
A1  - Le, Gia Han
A1  - Wong, Sabrina
A1  - Rhee, Taeho Greg
A1  - Ho, Roger
A1  - Teopiz, Kayla M.
A1  - Cao, Bing
A1  - McIntyre, Roger S.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - Depression, a complex disorder with significant treatment challenges, necessitates innovative therapeutic approaches to address its multifaceted nature and enhance treatment outcomes. The modulation of KCNQ potassium (K+) channels, pivotal regulators of neuronal excitability and neurotransmitter release, is a promising innovative therapeutic target in psychiatry. Widely expressed across various tissues, including the nervous and cardiovascular systems, KCNQ channels play a crucial role in modulating membrane potential and regulating neuronal activity. Recent preclinical evidence suggests that KCNQ channels, particularly KCNQ3, contribute to the regulation of neuronal excitability within the reward circuitry, offering a potential target for alleviating depressive symptoms, notably anhedonia. Studies using animal models demonstrate that interventions targeting KCNQ channels can restore dopaminergic firing balance and mitigate depressive symptoms. Human studies investigating the effects of KCNQ channel activators, such as ezogabine, have shown promising results in alleviating depressive symptoms and anhedonia. The aforementioned observations underscore the therapeutic potential of KCNQ channel modulation in depression management and highlight the need and justification for phase 2 and phase 3 dose-finding studies as well as studies prespecifying symptomatic targets in depression including anhedonia.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0165-0327
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.05.067
ID  - ref1
ER  -