NMDA receptors gating

Kornhuber, J., Bormann, J., Hubers, M., Rusche, K. and Riederer, P. (1991) Effects of the 1-amino-adamantanes at the MK-801-binding site of the NMDA-receptor gated ion channel a human postmortem brain study. Eur. J. Pharmacol. Mol. (Pharmac. Sect.) 206 297-300. 

Studies reveal that a homozygous GlyT-1 (-/-) knockout in mice is neonatally lethal. However heterozygous GlyT-1 (+/-) mice survive to adulthood and display enhanced NMDA receptor function in the hippocampus, better memory retention, and no disruption in sensory gating when dosed with amphetamine [15]. 

Initial evidence linking Hebb s coincidence detection rule to learning and memory. As the unique receptor in the brain with the coincidence-detection property, the NMDA receptor is an ideal candidate to gate the formation of memory at the synaptic level. Early observations demonstrated that infusion of NMDA receptor blockers into brain ventricles resulted in animals poor performance in the hidden-platform water maze. At first, this seemed to provide evidence for the role of hippocampal LTP in memory formation. Unfortunately, careful analyses revealed that poor performances in the water maze tests... 

Figure 11.2 The Ca2+ influx channels of the plasma membrane, (a) A voltage-gated channel—the membrane topography of the al-subunit, which forms the channel proper, (b) Membrane topography of TRP channels, homologous to the SOC channels, (c) Membrane topography of the ligand-gated glutamate NMDA receptor. (From Carafoli, 2005. Reproduced with permission from Blackwell...

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