Long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) are persistent modifications of synaptic strength that have been implicated in learning, memory, and neuronal development. Despite their opposing effects, both forms of plasticity can be triggered by the activation of NMDA receptors. One mechanism proposed for this bidirectional response is that the specific patterns of afferent stimul...

NMDA receptor (NMDA-R) antagonists are extensively used as schizophrenia models due to their ability to evoke positive and negative symptoms as well as cognitive deficits similar to those of the illness. Likewise, 5-HT2A receptor agonists display hallucinogen actions resembling psychotic symptoms. Overall, these drugs are useful models of schizophrenia for the screening of new antipsychotic dru...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Developmental switches in NMDA receptor subunit expression have been inferred from studies of GluN2 expression levels, changes in kinetics of glutamatergic synaptic currents and sensitivity of NMDA receptor-mediated currents to selective GluN2B antagonists. Here we use TCN 213, a novel GluN2A-selective antagonist to identify the presence of this subunit in functional NMDA...

Glutamatergic transmission is an important factor in the development of neuronal death following transient cerebral ischemia. In this investigation the effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA receptor antagonists on neuronal damage were studied in rats exposed to 10 min of transient cerebral ischemia induced by bilateral common carotid occlusion combined with hypotension. The animal...

Phylogenetic analysis reveals AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptor families in insect genomes, suggesting conserved functional properties corresponding to their vertebrate counterparts. However, heterologous expression of the Drosophila kainate receptor DKaiR1D and the AMPA receptor DGluR1A revealed novel ligand selectivity at odds with the classification used for vertebrate glutamate receptor ion ...

In the present study, the interaction between a noncompetitive [(+)-MK-801] and a competitive (CGP 40116) NMDA receptor antagonists was tested in two different behavioral paradigms: locomotor activity test and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex. Additionally, their effects on working memory and selective attention were evaluated in the delayed alternation task. All above paradig...

Adenosine receptor antagonists initiate repetitive bursting activity in the CA3 region of hippocampal slices. Although some studies have suggested that this effect is irreversible, this has been difficult to establish because many adenosine antagonists wash out of brain slices extremely slowly. Furthermore the cellular mechanism that underlies persistent bursting is unknown. To resolve these is...

Exposure to N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists has been demonstrated to induce neurodegeneration in newborn rats. However, in clinical practice the use of NMDA receptor antagonists as anesthetics and sedatives cannot always be avoided. The present study investigated the effect of the indirect cholinergic agonist physostigmine on neurotrophin expression and the extracellular matrix...

Spreading depression (SD) is a profound but transient depolarization of neurons and glia that migrates across the cortical and subcortical gray at 2-5 mm/min. Under normoxic conditions, SD occurs during migraine aura where it precedes migraine pain but does not damage tissue. During stroke and head trauma, however, SD can arise repeatedly near the site of injury and may promote neuronal damage....

The overactivation of the NMDA receptor is thought to be a major contributor to the pathophysiologic sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI), which commonly includes memory dysfunction. Uniquely, potentiation of the NMDA receptor is dependent on the binding of glycine to a distinct site on the receptor. Despite the potential role of the NMDA receptor in the development of post-TBI cognitive de...