Projects per year
Abstract
NMDA receptors (NMDARs) play an important role in neural plasticity including long-term potentiation and long-term depression, which are likely to explain their importance for learning and memory. Cognitive decline is a major problem facing an ageing human population, so much so that its reversal has become an important goal for scientific research and pharmaceutical development. Enhancement of NMDAR function is a core strategy toward this goal. In this review we indicate some of the major ways of potentiating NMDAR function by both direct and indirect modulation. There is good evidence that both positive and negative modulation can enhance function suggesting that a subtle approach correcting imbalances in particular clinical situations will be required. Excessive activation and the resultant deleterious effects will need to be carefully avoided. Finally we describe some novel positive allosteric modulators of NMDARs, with some subunit selectivity, and show initial evidence of their ability to affect NMDAR mediated events. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Cognitive Enhancers'.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 13-26 |
Number of pages | 14 |
Journal | Neuropharmacology |
Volume | 64 |
Early online date | 11 Jul 2012 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2013 |
Bibliographical note
Special Issue: 22nd Neuropharmacology Conference: Cognitive EnhancersKeywords
- synaptic plasticity, NMDA receptor, cognitive enhancement, LTP, synaptic transmission
- hippocampus, positive allosteric modulators
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Dive into the research topics of 'The NMDA receptor as a target for cognitive enhancemant'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 6 Finished
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Development of biotin-tagged affinity ligands and fluorophore-conjugated probes for the study of native kainate receptors
Molnar, E. (Principal Investigator)
1/03/13 → 1/03/16
Project: Research
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THE ROLE OF METABOTROPIC GLUTAMATE AND GABA-B RECEPTORS IN OLIGODENDROCYTE DEVELOPMENT, SURVIVAL AND VULNERABILITY IN THE IMMATURE BRAIN
Molnar, E. (Principal Investigator)
16/06/08 → 16/06/11
Project: Research
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ELUCIDATION OF THE ROLE OF KAINATE RECEPTOR SUBTYPES IN HIPPOCAMPAL SYNAPTIC FUNCTION USING NOVEL PHARMACOLOGICAL TOOLS
Jane, D. E. (Principal Investigator)
1/03/08 → 1/03/11
Project: Research