MODULATION OF GLUTAMATE-RECEPTOR PATHWAYS IN THE SEARCH FOR NEW NEUROPROTECTIVE AGENTS

Excessive stimulation of excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptors is resp onsible for a wide variety of acute and chronic neurological impairmen ts. A separate line of investigation has focused on oxidative stress a s one of the main reasons for several of these degenerative disorders. Current evidence has confirmed that activation of both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors can also result in either neuroprote ction or neurodegeneration according to the role played by oxidative s tress mechanisms. An outline of this research, together with our recen t results aimed at the discovery of new subtype selective modulators o f the central nervous system pathways as well as new classes of free r adical scavengers, is presented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All ri ghts reserved.