. 2006 Nov;7(11):1104–1110. doi: 10.1038/sj.embor.7400830

Table 1.

Synaptic ion channels modulating learning and memory. Channel properties that are relevant to synaptic plasticity phenomena are listed

Ion channel	Ligand, activator	Conducted ion	Relevant expression	Synaptic localization	Reference
NMDA receptor	L-Glutamate, NMDA	Na⁺,Ca²⁺	Hippocampus	Presynaptic, postsynaptic	Daw et al, 1993; Humeau et al, 2003
AMPA receptor	L-Glutamate, AMPA	Na⁺,K⁺	Hippocampus, cerebellum	Presynaptic, postsynaptic	Lee et al, 2003; Lu et al, 2001
Kainate receptor	L-Glutamate, kainate	Na⁺,Ca²⁺,K⁺	Hippocampus, thalamocortical system	Presynaptic, postsynaptic	Lauri et al, 2003
nAch receptor	Acetylcholine, nicotine	Na⁺,K⁺,Ca²⁺	Hippocampus	Presynaptic, postsynaptic	Ji et al, 2001
GABA receptor	γ-aminobutyric acid	Cl⁻	Hippocampus	Postsynaptic	Collinson et al, 2002
L-type VGCC	Membrane potential	Ca²⁺	Amygdala, hippocampus	Presynaptic, postsynaptic	Shinnick-Gallagher et al, 2003
P/Q-type VGCC	Membrane potential	Ca²⁺	Hippocampus, Purkinje cells	Presynaptic	Wu et al, 1999
R-type VGCC	Membrane potential	Ca²⁺	Hippocampus	Presynaptic	Wu et al, 1998
BK channel	Ca²⁺	K⁺	Hippocampus, Purkinje cells	Presynaptic	Raffaelli et al, 2004; Sausbier et al, 2004
SK channel	Ca²⁺	K⁺	Amygdala, hippocampus	Postsynaptic	Hammond et al, 2006

AMPA, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate; BK, large conductance calcium-gated potassium channel; GABA, γ-aminobutyric acid; LTP, long-term potentiation; nAChR, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor; NMDA, N-methyl-D-aspartate; SK, small conductance calcium-gated potassium channel; VGCC, voltage-gated calcium channel.