al., 2013). GIRK channels allow potassium ions to flow into the cell better than out of the cell, a property referred to as “inward rectification.” The small outward current hyperpolarizes the cell's membrane potential, leading to inhibition of neuronal activity. There are four primary neuronal GIRK subunits, GIRK1-GIRK4 (Lesage et al., 1995; Inanobe et al., 1999; Wickman et al., 2000; Luscher and Slesinger, 2010). Alterations in GIRK channel function have been associated with pathophysiology of severe brain disorders like addiction (Hill et al., 2003; Morgan et al., 2003; Labouebe et al., 2007; Kozell et al., 2009), epilepsy (Signorini et al., 1997; Pei et al., 1999; Mazarati et al., 2006), Parkinson's disease and ataxia (Patil et al., 1995; Slesinger et al., 1996; Schein et al., 2005) and Down's syndrome (Siarey et al., 1999; Cooper et al., 2012).
