Carbonic anhydrase gating of attention: memory therapy and enhancement.
Enhancement of memory acquisition and recall represents an important pharmacological goal in the treatment of cognitive disorders. In addition to its involvement in pH regulation, HCO3- reabsorption and CO2 expiration, carbonic anhydrase plays a crucial role in signal processing, long-term synaptic transformation and attentional gating of memory storage. Carbonic anhydrase dysfunction impairs cognition and is associated with mental retardation, Alzheimer's disease and aging. The pharmacological profile of carbonic anhydrase has been refined and specific activators have been developed. In this article, an integrated view of the involvement of carbonic anhydrase activity in synaptic plasticity and cognition will be presented, with particular focus on attentional gating of spatial learning and memory.
Sun
Miao-Kun
MK
Blânchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute, West Virginia University, Johns Hopkins Academic and Research Building, Room 319, 9601 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. mksun@brni-jhu.org
Alkon
Daniel L
DL
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000201:enzymology; D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology
D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases