Na,K-ATPase and Cardiotonic Steroids in Models of Dopaminergic System Pathologies.

In recent years, enough evidence has accumulated to assert that cardiotonic steroids, Na,K-ATPase ligands, play an integral role in the physiological and pathophysiological processes in the body. However, little is known about the function of these compounds in the central nervous system. Endogenous cardiotonic steroids are involved in the pathogenesis of affective disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder, which are linked to dopaminergic system dysfunction.