Ilaria Zanardi

Ilaria Zanardi


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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16 May 2023 in Life
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
RBRaffaella Barbieri
Raffaella Barbieri
MNMario Nizzari
Mario Nizzari
IZIlaria Zanardi
Ilaria Zanardi
MPMichael Pusch
Michael Pusch
PGPaola Gavazzo
Paola Gavazzo
The pore-forming subunits (α subunits) of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC) are encoded in humans by a family of nine highly conserved genes. Among them, SCN1A, SCN2A, SCN3A, and SCN8A are primarily expressed in the central nervous system. The encoded proteins Nav1.1, Nav1.2, Nav1.3, and Nav1.6, respectively, are important players in the initiation and propagation of action potentials and in turn of the neural network activity. In the context of neurological diseases, mutations in the genes encoding Nav1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.6 are responsible for many forms of genetic epilepsy and for Nav1.1 also of hemiplegic migraine. Several pharmacological therapeutic approaches targeting these channels are used or are under study. Mutations of genes encoding VGSCs are also involved in autism and in different types of even severe intellectual disability (ID). It is conceivable that in these conditions their dysfunction could indirectly cause a certain level of neurodegenerative processes; however, so far, these mechanisms have not been deeply investigated. Conversely, VGSCs seem to have a modulatory role in the most common neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, where SCN8A expression has been shown to be negatively correlated with disease severity.