The changes of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and protective efficacy of memantine (MEM) in rats poisoned with dichlorvos were studied. Dichlorvos evoked down-regulation of the affinity and density of [(3)H]MK-801 binding to NMDA receptor in the brain of rats receiving dichlorvos (15 and 25 mg/kg bw, i.p.). The binding capacity of NMDA receptor and acetylcholinesterase activity were deter...

Under physiological conditions N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation requires coincidence of presynaptic glutamate release and postsynaptic depolarization due to the voltage-dependent block of these receptors by extracellular Mg(2+). Therefore spontaneous neurotransmission in the absence of action potential firing is not expected to lead to significant NMDA receptor activation. Here w...

Afferent stimulation of pyramidal cells in the basolateral amygdala produced mixed excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA glutamate receptors during whole cell current-clamp recordings. In the presence of GABA(A) receptor blockade, the mixed EPSPs recruited a large "all-or-none" depolarizing event. This recruited event was voltage depende...

With key roles in essential brain functions ranging from the basics of excitatory neurotransmission to the complexities of learning and memory, the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor can be considered one of the fundamental neurotransmitter receptors in the brain. Named for its most potent exogenous agonist, the NMDA receptor has been thoroughly characterized via electrophysiological and phar...

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are present in high density within the cerebral cortex and hippocampus and play an important role in learning and memory. NMDA receptors are negatively affected by aging, but these effects are not uniform in many different ways. This review discusses the selective age-related vulnerabilities of different binding sites of the NMDA receptor complex, different...

N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are glutamate- and glycine-gated channels that mediate fast excitatory transmission in the central nervous system and are critical to synaptic development, plasticity, and integration. They have a rich complement of modulatory sites, which represent important pharmacological targets. Ifenprodil is a well tolerated NMDA receptor inhibitor; it is selective fo...

Dynamic modulation of the actin cytoskeleton is critical for synaptic plasticity, abnormalities of which are thought to contribute to mental illness and addiction. Here we report that mice lacking Eps8, a regulator of actin dynamics, are resistant to some acute intoxicating effects of ethanol and show increased ethanol consumption. In the brain, the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is a maj...

Background and objectives: Considering the increasing prevalence of depression, many studies are launched to investigate new antidepressant treatments. The present research has shown how psilocybin as an active compound of Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer extract (PCE) can change the parameters related to depression and anxiety in animal models. Both ...

Peptide growth factors such as the neurotrophins and fibroblast growth factors have potent effects on synaptic transmission, development, and cell survival. We report that chronic (hours) treatment with basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) potentiates Ca(2+)-dependent N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor inactivation in cultured hippocampal neurons. This effect is specific for the NMDA-subtyp...

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor plays important roles in learning and memory. NMDA receptors are a tetramer that consists of two glycine-binding subunits GluN1, two glutamate-binding subunits (i.e., GluN2A, GluN2B, GluN2C, and GluN2D), a combination of a GluN2 subunit and glycine-binding GluN3 subunit (i.e., GluN3A or GluN3B), or two GluN3 subunits. Recent studies revealed that the specifi...