1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid esters in treatment of neuronal diseases

Method of treating neuronal diseases by selectively modulating on calcium dependent potassium channels of high conductivity by administering 1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid esters of the general formula (I) ##STR13## in which A represents aryl having 6 to 10 carbon atoms or pyridyl, which are optionally substituted up to 3-fold in an identical or different manner by nitro, cyano, halogen, trifluoromethyl or by straight-chain or branched alkylthio having up to carbon atoms,

• R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are identical or different and represent cycloalkyl having 3 to 6 carbon atoms or represent straight-chain or branched alkyl having up to 8 carbon atoms, which is optionally substituted up to 2-fold in an identical or different manner by straight-chain or branched alkoxy having up to 4 carbon atoms, halogen or by a group of the formula --NR.sup.4 R.sup.5, wherein
• R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are identical or different and denote hydrogen, benzyl, phenyl or straight-chain or branched alkyl having up to 4 carbon atoms, and
• R.sup.3 represents cycloalkyl having 3 to 6 carbon atoms or represents straight-chain or branched alkyl having up to 6 carbon atoms, which is optionally substituted by hydroxyl, phenyl or by straight-chain or branched alkoxy or alkoxycarbonyl having in each case up to 6 carbon atoms, and salts thereof.