NITRIC-OXIDE IN MECHANISMS OF BRAIN-DAMAGE INDUCED BY NEUROTOXIC EFFECT OF GLUTAMATE

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous chemical messenger which plays the role of a universal modulator of various physiological functions of animal s including the nervous system, i.e., interneuronal communications, sy naptic plasticity, memory formation, receptor functions, intracellular signal transmission, release of neurotransmitters. The possible role of NO is considered in some basic diseases of the central nervous syst em which are associated with the neurotoxic effect of glutamate (ische mia, stroke, convulsive disorders, etc.). NO is believed to be a key p athophysiological factor of these diseases. The production of NO in th e brain cortex of rats was found to significantly increase during conv ulsions of various origin.