TRP Channels in the Brain: What Are They There For?

Transient receptor potential (TRP) family proteins form tetrameric nonselective cation channels. Upon activation, TRP channels depolarize the membrane potential, which can lead to activation or inactivation of voltage-gated ion channels, and regulate Ca signaling, which controls diverse cellular functions (Wu et al., 2010; Nilius and Szallasi, 2014). It is well known that some members of the TRP canonical (TRPC), TRP melastatin (TRPM), and TRP vanilloid (TRPV) subfamilies of TRP channels are highly expressed and play important roles in the brain (Vennekens et al., 2012; Nilius and Szallasi, 2014). They regulate diverse neuronal and glial functions including developmental and homeostatic functions of the brain. Recent studies show that dysregulation of the TRP channel functions is involved in various pathological events of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here, we review the current insights of the physiological roles of the TRPC, TRPM, and TRPV channels, mainly TRPC3/TRPC6/TRPC7, TRPM2, and TRPV1 in neurons and glia, and their pathophysiological roles in neurological and psychiatric disorders.