Ethosuximide (Zarontin) is an anticonvulsant, blocks the low voltage-activated T-type calcium channel used in the treatment of absence seizures unaccompanied by other types of seizures.

Ethosuximide（ETH）在体外促进海马衍生的神经干细胞（NSC）增殖和神经球形成。ETH低浓度能促进NSC的增殖，然而高浓度则具有细胞毒性。此外，ETH在成年海马NSC中激活PI3K/Akt信号转导途径，阻断PI3K/Akt途径可以抑制ETH诱导的海马NSC神经分化[3]。

抗癫痫化合物ethosuximide能够挽救由dnj-14突变引起的C. elegans短命和化学感觉缺陷，该基因是DNAJC5基因在人类常染色体显性成年发病神经脂肪病的线虫同源基因。此外，Ethosuximide 改善了表达导致额颞叶痴呆的人类Tau突变体的线虫的运动障碍和短寿命问题[1]。Ethosuximide通过抑制特定化学感觉神经元的功能来延长寿命[2]，增加神经发生、减少神经退行性病变，逆转在类AD表型的大鼠模型中的认知缺陷[3]。

Mouse Neuro2A (N2A) neuroblastoma cells are cultured on 6-well plates and treated with retinoic acid to induce neuronal differentiation. After 24 h, N2A cells are treated with vehicle control (PBS) or increasing concentrations of ethosuximide for 5 h. Total RNA is then isolated, DNase-treated and reverse transcribed to cDNA. qRT-PCR is run above normalising to the reference genes glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and β-actin (ACTB). (Only for Reference)