Cognitive enhancers NMDA receptors

In this chapter, we use the term cognitive enhancers to refer to two classes of pharmacological agents used in the treatment of Alzheimer s disease the cholinesterase inhibitors and the A-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. 

NMDA receptor antagonist N-mettiyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) subtype ot glutamate receptor antagonist cognitive enhancer... 

NMDA receptor modulators (47-50)], monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) inhibitors (51-55), antioxidants (52, 56-59), nootropics (41, 60), lipid-lowering agents (e.g., statins) (61), insulin (62), anti-inflammatory agents (63-67), and estrogen supplementation (63, 65, 66, 68, 69). Because several other reviews are available that compare these therapeutic approaches (70-77), the remainder of the present chapter focuses on ion channel modulation approaches to cognition enhancement. 

This hypothesis is further supported by the similarities between the behavioral effects caused by the administration of N-methyl-o-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists to human subjects and the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia. Moreover, clinical trials in which NMDA receptor activity was enhanced by agents acting at the glycine modulatory site have demonstrated decreases in negative symptoms and variable improvements in cognitive function. There are also data from postmortem studies suggesting alterations in... 

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