Selectively Blocking Small Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels Improves Cognition in Aged Mice

Neural activity decreases with age and therefore may be causative in age-related decrements in cognition. A major negative controller of neural activity is calcium-activated small conductance potassium channels. These ion channels are blocked by the apamin molecule, which is a component of bee venom. We show that the treatment of aged mice with apamin increases some cognitive behaviors, but not all. Aging is associated with decreased neuronal sensitivity and activity that creates deficits in cognitive processes, including learning, memory, motivation, general activity, and other behaviors. These effects are due in part to decreased intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, increasing hyperpolarization of the resting potential in aged neurons and therefore decreasing their excitability. To reduce hyperpolarization in aged mice, we used apamin, a selective small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (sK(Ca)) channel blocker. By blocking the sK(Ca) channels, apamin decreases the egress of the K+ out of the cell, reducing its hyperpolarization and causing it to be closer to threshold potential. As a result, neurons should be more sensitive to excitatory stimuli and more active. We evaluated the performance of aged mice in a selection of cognitive and behavioral tests prior to and after systemic applications of apamin or the vehicle saline. Apamin improved performance in short-term memory, increased attention to tasks, and decreased anhedonia. Apamin had no significant effect on long-term spatial and recognition memory, risk-taking behavior, sociability, and anxiety. Our results are compatible with the known effects of sK(Ca) channel blockade on neuronal sensitivity and activity; however, these short-term effects were not reflected in longer-term alterations of neural plasticity responsible for long-term spatial and recognition memory or other more complex cognitive processes we evaluated.