In the rat, subunits of the glutamate receptor family fall into three pharmacologically distinct groups: alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid preferring receptors (Glu R1-4), kainate preferring receptors (Glu R5-7, KA 1, KA 2), and N-methyl-D-aspartate preferring receptors (NMDA R1, NMDA R2A-2D). In the present study, we demonstrate immunocytochemically that the majority of...

We are interested in studying the co-localization of NMDA glutamate receptor subunits (NR1, NR2A/B) and AMPA glutamate receptor subunits (GluR1, GluR2, GluR2/3 and GluR4) in individual neurons of the rat vestibular nuclei. Immunoreactivity for NR1, NR2A/B, GluR1, GluR2, GluR2/3 and GluR4 was found in the somata and dendrites of neurons in the four major subdivisions (superior, medial, lateral, ...

The second messenger pathways linking receptor activation at the membrane to changes in the nucleus are just beginning to be unraveled in neurons. The work presented here attempts to identify in striatal neurons the pathways that mediate cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation and gene expression in response to NMDA receptor activation. We investigated the phosphorylation o...

Long-term potentiation and long-term depression (LTP/LTD) can be elicited by activating N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors, typically by the coincident activity of pre- and postsynaptic neurons. The early phases of expression are mediated by a redistribution of AMPA-type glutamate receptors: More receptors are added to potentiate the synapse or receptors are removed to weaken ...

N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are a member of the ionotropic glutamate receptor family, ligandgated ion channels that mediate the majority of excitatory neurotransmission in the mammalian CNS. They are expressed primarily in the CNS but also in peripheral locations such as pancreatic islet cells, sensory nerve terminals in skin and cardiac ganglia1. Seven subunits of the NMDA receptor h...

Introduction Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. There are multiple receptors for glutamate: in addition to the fast transfer of information via the recently cloned receptors for AMPA [(RS)-y-amino-3hydroxy5 -methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate]/kainate [ l ] and the high-affinity kainate receptor [2], Ca+ influx via the post-synaptic N-methyl-i>...

Bilirubin, a product of haemoglobin metabolism, has been suggested to damage neurons by increasing activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors when it reaches high levels in the blood [15,19], as occurs in neonatal jaundice [7]. Bilirubin is also generated in the brain following synthesis of the messenger carbon monoxide (CO) by haem oxygenase, and haem oxygenase is upregulated in Alzhe...

Glutamate-induced cobalt uptake reveals non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (non-NMDA) glutamate receptors (GluRs) in rat taste bud cells. However, it is not known which type of non-NMDA glutamate receptors is involved. We used a cobalt staining technique combined with pharmacological tests for kainate or alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors and/or immunohistochemistry ...

glutamate dysregulation may be involved in the neuropathology of schizophrenia. memantine, a drug approved by the fda for the treatment of moderate to severe alzheimer's disease, acts as a partial uncompetitive nmda receptor antagonist. the aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of memantine as an adjunctive treatment to olanzapine in patients with schizophrenia. in this double-blind, pl...

NMDA receptors are Ca2+-permeable ion channels. The activation of NMDA receptors requires agonist glutamate and co-agonist glycine. Recent evidence indicates that NMDA receptor also has metabotropic function. Here we report that in cultured mouse hippocampal neurons, glycine increases AMPA receptor-mediated currents independent of the channel activity of NMDA receptors and the activation of gly...