On 17 Oct 1995, LSCCLAB wrote:
> What is NMDA receptor?
>
The N-methyl-D-aspartic receptor is the glutamate (and asp) receptor
found in the brain and spinal cord. It's part of a family of receptors
called "excitatory amino acid receptors". It's not very important
clinically, in the sense that people are seldom given drugs that act at
these receptors (except for stroke sometimes and rare forms of pain).
NMDA receptors are important in learning and memory, epilepsy, and afew
other things. When you block this receptor in the brain (with
phencyclidine or ketamine, for example) you get a reduction in the
"excitement" of the brain, such that you get anesthesia. It's called the
NMDA receptor because NMDA is the best (?) agonist.
By the way, I myself am studying NMDA receptors and their role in the
spinal cord as far as special kinds of pain.
Hope this helps,
Sandra
----------------------
sandraw at U.Arizona.EDU
