Researchers have discovered a new mechanism of action of antiepileptic drugs to treat these neurodegenerative disorders. The study shows that neurons in the brain were getting protection after treatment with calcium channel blockers type T, that are commonly used to treat epilepsy.

The calcium signaling mechanisms play a key role in the survival of neurons in the brain. As age increases, you can alter calcium homeostasis in the brain, leading to cognitive and functional decline. This thereby increases the likelihood that chemical compounds capable of modulating calcium homeostasis can protect neurons.

The scientists, led by Jianxin Bao, were among the first research teams to explore the possible protective effects of blockers of T-type calcium channel. So far unknown mechanisms of neuroprotection exercising these AEDs. Bao’s team developed in cell culture models to test directly whether these drugs preserved neurons in the cultures at short and long term.

According to the authors, the neurons showed an increase in viability after treatment with inhibitors of T-type calcium channel or type L. Moreover, neurons in cultures of short and long term were protected, respectively, by inhibitors of type T and L type, suggesting that there is more of a calcium signaling mechanism to regulate the survival of neurons in the short and long term.

Currently there are no effective drugs for age-related neurodegeneration. “Our data are transcendent to use this family of antiepileptic drugs in developing new treatments for neural injury and the need for further studies for the use of such drugs in neurodegenerative disorders associated with aging,” concluded Bao.

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