The activation of neuroprotective BK channels by 17β-estradiol also leads to an attenuation of neuronal excitability impairment in the ischemia model of oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) in rat hippocampal slices (Zhang et al., 2009), which is suggestive of the protective action on memory conferred by estrogen. The gene discussed is KCNMA1; the disease is ischemia.