Astrocytic adenosine kinase regulates basal synaptic adenosine levels and seizure activity but not activity-dependent adenosine release in the hippocampus.

Adenosine is an endogenous inhibitor of excitatory synaptic transmission with potent anticonvulsant properties in the mammalian brain. Given adenosine's important role in modulating synaptic transmission, several mechanisms exist to regulate its extracellular availability. One of these is the intracellular enzyme adenosine kinase (ADK), which phosphorylates adenosine to AMP.