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Blessed are the pacemakers

Nature Neuroscience volume 9, pages 297–298 (2006)Cite this article

Many neurons, particularly inhibitory neurons in motor areas, express ion channels that cause them to fire rapidly and regularly without input. A paper now presents evidence that an inherited ataxia due to mutation in a P/Q-type calcium channel gene results from compromised pacemaking in cerebellar Purkinje neurons, suggesting a possible therapy.

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Figure 1: Pacemaking in Purkinje neurons.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurobiology,

    Thomas S Otis & Joanna C Jen

  2. Department of Neurology, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, 90095, California, USA

    Thomas S Otis & Joanna C Jen

Authors
  1. Thomas S Otis
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  2. Joanna C Jen
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Otis, T., Jen, J. Blessed are the pacemakers. Nat Neurosci 9, 297–298 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn0306-297

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