Population aging, as well as the handling of age-associated diseases, is a worldwide increasing concern. Among them, Alzheimer's disease stands out as the major cause of dementia culminating in full dependence on other people for basic functions. However, despite numerous efforts, in the last decades, there was no new approved therapeutic drug for the treatment of the disease. Calcium-activated potassium channels have emerged as a potential tool for neuronal protection by modulating intracellular calcium signaling. Their subcellular localization is determinant of their functional effects. When located on the plasma membrane of neuronal cells, they can modulate synaptic function, while their activation at the inner mitochondrial membrane has a neuroprotective potential via the attenuation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in conditions of oxidative stress. Here we review the dual role of these channels in the aging phenotype and Alzheimer's disease pathology and discuss their potential use as a therapeutic tool.

人口老龄化以及与年龄有关的疾病的处理，是世界范围内日益关注的问题。其中，阿尔茨海默氏病是痴呆症的主要病因，最终导致完全依赖于他人的基本功能。然而，尽管作出了许多努力，但是在过去的几十年中，没有新的批准的用于治疗该疾病的治疗药物。钙激活的钾离子通道已经成为通过调节细胞内钙信号传导来保护神经元的潜在工具。它们的亚细胞定位决定了其功能作用。当位于神经元细胞的质膜上时，它们可以调节突触功能，而它们在线粒体内膜上的激活通过氧化应激条件下线粒体活性氧的衰减而具有神经保护作用。在这里，我们回顾了这些通道在衰老表型和阿尔茨海默氏病病理学中的双重作用，并讨论了它们作为治疗工具的潜在用途。