N europharmacologic and genetic association studies implicate dysregulation of NMDA receptor function in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (1). In this issue of PNAS Kocerha et al. (2) suggest a novel molecular mechanism whereby a microRNA (miRNA) regulates signaling downstream from the NMDA receptor at the calcium/ calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II subunit (CaMKII ...

Several agents may treat cocaine addiction and toxicity including bromocriptine, desipramine, GBR 12909 [1-(2-(bis(4-fluorphenyl)-methoxy)-ethyl)-4-(3-phenyl-propyl) piperazine], diazepam, buprenorphine and dizocilpine. In this study, we sought to determine whether these specific therapeutic agents alter cardiovascular responses to cocaine in conscious rats. Arterial pressure responses to cocai...

Ventral tegmental area (VTA) GABA neurons are critical substrates modulating the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system implicated in natural and drug reward. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ethanol on glutamatergic and GABAergic modulation of VTA GABA neuron electrical synaptic transmission. We evaluated the effects of systemic ethanol (0.05-2.0 g/kg i.p.), the N-methyl-D-aspar...

BACKGROUND Sevoflurane potently enhances glycine receptor currents and more modestly decreases NMDA receptor currents, each of which may contribute to immobility. This modest NMDA receptor antagonism by sevoflurane at a minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) could be reciprocally related to large potentiation of other inhibitory ion channels. If so, then reduced glycine receptor potency should in...

DBA/2J mice repeatedly exposed to ethanol (2 g/kg, i.p. every 48 h for 8 days) exhibit sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effects of ethanol. Pretreatment with the NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine (0.2-0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) completely prevents the development of sensitization. Thus, NMDA receptors appear to play an important role in behavioural sensitization to ethanol.

Several reports have indicated that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists prevent the development of analgesic tolerance to opiates. Some effects of opiates, such as their discriminative stimulus effects, are known to be more resistant to tolerance induction. In this study, adult male Long-Evans rats were trained to discriminate 3.2 mg/kg of s.c. morphine from water (vehicle) using a...