THE ROLE OF N-METHYL-D-ASPARTATE (NMDA) RECEPTOR-MEDIATED NEUROTRANSMISSION IN THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS OF PSYCHIATRIC SYNDROMES

The study of excitatory amino acids (EAAs) has recently resulted in ne w and fundamental concepts in neuroscience. This progress has led to a growing awareness of the crucial role that brain EAAs systems play in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The N-methyl-D -aspartate (NMDA) receptor, presently the most well understood subtype of EAAs receptors, has been implicated in crucial physiological proce sses such as synaptogenesis, learning and memory. Dysfunctions of NMDA receptors seem to play a crucial role in the neurobiology of disorder s such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and ische mic stroke. This paper is a review of emerging data indicating that al terations of NMDA receptor function may be pivotal to the pathophysiol ogy of four common psychiatric syndromes: schizophrenia, major depress ion, posttraumatic stress disorder, and alcoholism. Special emphasis i s placed on the current state of development of pharmacological strate gies aiming at the modulation of NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmiss ion in these disorders. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V./ECNP.