Glutamate receptors synapse

Altered synaptic properties Numerous changes in the properties of inhibitory (GABAergic) and excitatory (glutamatergic) synapses have been reported. While the simple adage of an imbalance between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission in epilepsy is not generally applicable, some forms of inhibition are lost or impaired in epilepsy. Likewise, an increased function of glutamate receptors has been demonstrated in some brain areas. 

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a synaptic plasticity phenomenon that corresponds to an increase in the synaptic strength (increase in the post-synaptic response observed for the same stimulation of the presynaptic terminals) observed after a high frequency stimulation (tetanus) of the afferent fibres. This increased response is still observed hours and even days after the tetanus. The phenomenon is often observed at glutamatergic synapses and involves, in most cases, the activation of the V-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of ionotropic glutamate receptors. 

Figure 3.1 Schematic representation of a generic excitatory synapse in the brain. The presynaptic terminal releases the transmitter glutamate by fusion of transmitter vesicles with the nerve terminal membrane. Glutamate diffuses rapidly across the synaptic cleft to bind to and activate AMPA and NMDA receptors. In addition, glutamate may bind to metabotropic G-protein-coupled glutamate receptors located perisynaptically to cause initiation of intracellular signalling via the G-protein, Gq, to activate the enzyme phospholipase and hence produce inositol triphosphate (IP3) which can release Ca from intracellular calcium stores...

L-Glutamate acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter at many synapses in the mammalian central nervous system. Electrophysiological measurements and the use of various selective agonists and antagonists indicate that different glutamate receptors co-exist on many neurons. 

NMDA and AMPA receptors are spread across the post-synaptic density (PSD), whereas metabotropic glutamate receptors (except mGluR7) are located along the periphery of the PSD (Fig. 15-2). NMDA receptors appear to be present at most or all glutamatergic synapses whereas the content of AMPA receptors is variable - from zero to about 50 receptors per PSD [33]. Some synapses are silent , meaning that activation of them does not elicit AMPA receptor currents when the plasma membrane is hyperpolarized and Mg2+ blocks NMDA receptors. Such silent synapses contain only NMDA receptors. However, AMPA receptors are recruited from the cytosol to the PSD to activate such silent synapses in LTP. 

Bergersen, L., Waerhaug, O., Helm, J. et al. A novel postsyn-aptic density protein the monocarboxylate transporter MCT2 is co-localized with delta-glutamate receptors in postsynaptic densities of parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapses. Exp. Brain Res. 136 523-34,2001. 

Recent data suggest that a progressive increase in tonic mGluR activity during postnatal development contributes to a reduction of release probability of glutamate in excitatory cortical synapses (Chen and Roper 2004). Group I metabotropic glutamate receptor activation produces a direct excitation of... 

Lerma J, Morales M, Vicente MA, Herreras O (1997) Glutamate receptors of the kainate type and synaptic transmission. Trends Neurosci 20 9-12 Liao DZ, Hessler NA, Malinow R (1995) Activation of postsynaptically silent synapses during pairing-induced LTP in CAl region of hippocampal slice. Nature 375 400-404... 

ATP, ADP, and adenosine are among the purines that are present in some synapses and activate a variety of receptors. Adenosine receptors are blocked specifically by methylated xanthines such as caffeine (Fig. 25-18) and theophylline.808 80813 A drug almost 105 times as potent as theophylline is l,3-dipropyl-8-(2-amino-4-chlorophenyl)xanthine.809 Adenosine receptors, which are present in large numbers in the hippocampus,149 form functional complexes with metabotropic glutamate receptors.678 Adenosine... 

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