Interactions between cholinergic and glutamatergic neurotransmitter systems influence synaptic transmission and plasticity. While previous studies have examined cross-talk between acetylcholine (ACh) and NMDA or AMPA receptors, little is known about the effect of ACh on kainate receptors (KARs). We show that stimulation of m1 or m3 muscarinic ACh receptors (mAChRs) for 2min potentiates recombin...

Objective(s): Bisphenol A (BPA), a xenoestrogenic endocrine disrupting agent, is widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and has potential adverse effects on the developing nervous system, memory and learning abilities. The protective effect of the crocin, an important active constituent in Crocus sativus L, on memory impairment induced by BPA in rat wa...

Glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity and neurodegeneration have been shown as pathophysiological hallmarks of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune inflammatory CNS disorders. N‑Methyl‑D‑Aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a pivotal role in the mediation of neuronal glutamate excitotoxicity leading to cellular damage and apoptotic cell death. Current treatment approaches targeting glutamate exc...

The extracellular acidity that accompanies brain hypoxia-ischemia is known to reduce both NMDA and AMPA-kainate receptor-mediated currents and NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity. Although a protective effect of acidic pH on AMPA-kainate receptor-mediated excitotoxicity has been assumed, such has not been demonstrated. Paradoxically, we found that lowering extracellular pH selectively increase...

glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity and neurodegeneration have been shown as pathophysiological hallmarks of multiple sclerosis (ms) and other autoimmune inflammatory cns disorders. n‑methyl‑d‑aspartate (nmda) receptors play a pivotal role in the mediation of neuronal glutamate excitotoxicity leading to cellular damage and apoptotic cell death. current treatment approaches targeting glutamate exc...

Two preparations of glutamate receptors were purified from the synaptic junctions of pig brain by a combination of detergent solubilization, anion-exchange chromatography, wheat-germ agglutinin affinity chromatography and sedimentation through sucrose gradients. These preparations were enriched in specific L-[3H]glutamate binding activity (> 5000 pmol of glutamate binding sites/mg of protein), ...

Hippocampal slices from pilocarpine-treated rats were used to explore the effect of zinc released at mossy fiber synapses on dentate granule cells. Chelation of zinc enhanced the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated component of the excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC), but did not affect the AMPA/kainate receptor-mediated component. Its effect was detectable only at negative membran...

Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and ionotropic glutamate receptors mediate the majority of excitatory neurotransmission (Dingeldine et al. 1999). The high level of glutamatergic excitation allows the neonatal brain (the 2(nd) postnatal week in rat) to develop quickly but it also makes it highly prone to age-specific seizures that can cause lifelong neurological an...

NATURE | VOL 389 | 9 OCTOBER 1997 603 20. Korczak, B. et al. cDNA cloning and functional properties of human glutamate receptor EAA3 (GluR5) in homomeric and heteromeric configuration. Recept. Chann. 3, 41–49 (1995). 21. Huettner, J. E. Glutamate receptor channels in rat DRG neurons: Activation by kainate and quisqualate and blockade of desensitization by Con A. Neuron 5, 255–266 (1990). 22. Pa...

The hippocampus is an important brain region that is involved in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer disease, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. Ionotropic glutamate receptors-namely,N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors (NMDARs), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptors (AMPARs), and kainic acid (KA) receptors (KARs)-are well known to be involved in these diseases by me...