title: Excitatory amino acids in epilepsy and potential novel therapies.
abstract: Evidence that an abnormality of excitatory neurotransmission may contribute to the epileptic phenomena in various animal and human syndromes is reviewed. Altered glutamate transport or metabolism may be a contributory factor in some genetic syndromes and enhanced responsiveness to activation of NMDA receptors may be significant in various acquired forms of epilepsy. Decreasing glutamatergic neurotransmission provides a rational therapeutic approach to epilepsy. Potent anticonvulsant effects are seen with the acute administration of NMDA antagonists in a wide range of animal models. Some competitive antagonists acting at the NMDA/glutamate site show prolonged anticonvulsant activity following oral administration at doses free of motor side effects and appear suitable for clinical trial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Meldrum
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000927:Anticonvulsants