Biomaterial Database

Excitotoxic neuronal damage and neuropsychiatric disorders. 1993

C F Zorumski, and J W Olney

Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110.

Excitatory amino acids (EAA) serve important physiological functions in the vertebrate CNS, including participation in fast excitatory synaptic transmission, modulation of synaptic plasticity and regulation of neuronal morphology during development. However, paradoxically they also harbor neurotoxic (excitotoxic) potential, which, if unleashed, can cause widespread degeneration of CNS neurons. Accumulating evidence suggests a role for excitotoxins in a variety of human neuropsychiatric disorders. This paper reviews the classes of EAA receptors in the CNS, the mechanisms underlying EAA-mediated neuronal damage and the role of EAA in specific human disorders.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009422	Nervous System Diseases	Diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. This includes disorders of the brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, nerve roots, autonomic nervous system, neuromuscular junction, and muscle.	Neurologic Disorders,Nervous System Disorders,Neurological Disorders,Disease, Nervous System,Diseases, Nervous System,Disorder, Nervous System,Disorder, Neurologic,Disorder, Neurological,Disorders, Nervous System,Disorders, Neurologic,Disorders, Neurological,Nervous System Disease,Nervous System Disorder,Neurologic Disorder,Neurological Disorder
D009435	Synaptic Transmission	The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES.	Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D009474	Neurons	The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D002490	Central Nervous System	The main information-processing organs of the nervous system, consisting of the brain, spinal cord, and meninges.	Cerebrospinal Axis,Axi, Cerebrospinal,Axis, Cerebrospinal,Central Nervous Systems,Cerebrospinal Axi,Nervous System, Central,Nervous Systems, Central,Systems, Central Nervous
D005971	Glutamates	Derivatives of GLUTAMIC ACID. Included under this heading are a broad variety of acid forms, salts, esters, and amides that contain the 2-aminopentanedioic acid structure.	Glutamic Acid Derivatives,Glutamic Acids,Glutaminic Acids
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000596	Amino Acids	Organic compounds that generally contain an amino (-NH2) and a carboxyl (-COOH) group. Twenty alpha-amino acids are the subunits which are polymerized to form proteins.	Amino Acid,Acid, Amino,Acids, Amino
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D017470	Receptors, Glutamate	Cell-surface proteins that bind glutamate and trigger changes which influence the behavior of cells. Glutamate receptors include ionotropic receptors (AMPA, kainate, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors), which directly control ion channels, and metabotropic receptors which act through second messenger systems. Glutamate receptors are the most common mediators of fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system. They have also been implicated in the mechanisms of memory and of many diseases.	Excitatory Amino Acid Receptors,Glutamate Receptors,Receptors, Excitatory Amino Acid,Excitatory Amino Acid Receptor,Glutamate Receptor,Receptor, Glutamate
D018698	Glutamic Acid	A non-essential amino acid naturally occurring in the L-form. Glutamic acid is the most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Aluminum L-Glutamate,Glutamate,Potassium Glutamate,D-Glutamate,Glutamic Acid, (D)-Isomer,L-Glutamate,L-Glutamic Acid,Aluminum L Glutamate,D Glutamate,Glutamate, Potassium,L Glutamate,L Glutamic Acid,L-Glutamate, Aluminum