The Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Kinases II and IV as Therapeutic Targets in Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric Disorders

CaMKII and CaMKIV are calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases playing a rudimentary role in many regulatory processes in the organism. These kinases attract increasing interest due to their involvement primarily in memory and plasticity and various cellular functions. Although CaMKII and CaMKIV are mostly recognized as the important cogs in a memory machine, little is known about their effect on mood and role in neuropsychiatric diseases etiology. Here, we aimed to review the structure and functions of CaMKII and CaMKIV, as well as how these kinases modulate the animals' behavior to promote antidepressant-like, anxiolytic-like, and procognitive effects. The review will help in the understanding of the roles of the above kinases in the selected neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, and this knowledge can be used in future drug design.

Automated summary

CaMKII and CaMKIV are calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinases that play crucial roles in memory, plasticity, and various cellular functions. While they are primarily known for their involvement in memory processes, their effects on mood and neuropsychiatric diseases etiology are not well understood. This review aims to explore the structure and functions of these kinases and how they modulate behavior in animals to promote antidepressant-like, anxiolytic-like, and procognitive effects. The insights gained from this review can be beneficial in understanding the roles of these kinases in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders and in future drug development.