When the Brain’s Balance Is Disrupted
Learning, Remembering, Understanding: What a Rare Disorder Reveals About the Brain
How the brain learns and stores memories remains one of its most fascinating yet least understood abilities. A research team from Forschungszentrum Jülich – at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Physiology (IBI-1) and the JARA Institute Brain Structure–Function Relationships (INM-10) – has now gained new insights by studying a rare genetic brain disorder associated with intellectual disability and epilepsy.
The study focused on two proteins, ClC-3 and ClC-4, which play a crucial role in maintaining electrical balance and signal processing in nerve cells. Mutations in the corresponding genes lead to disruptions in neuronal excitability – a link the researchers were able to demonstrate using high-resolution imaging and electrophysiological measurements.
Remarkably, the disturbed neuronal activity could be restored by selectively blocking specific potassium channels. The findings not only advance our understanding of fundamental brain mechanisms but also point towards a potential therapeutic approach for rare neurogenetic disorders. The results have been published in the journal Brain.
Further information on the research findings is available on the Forschungszentrum Jülich website: https://www.fz-juelich.de/en/news/archive/highlights/2025/understanding-complex-brain-functions-by-studying-a-rare-brain-disease