Hypoglycemia-induced neuronal damage prevented by an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist.
The possibility that neuronal damage due to hypoglycemia is induced by agonists acting on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor was investigated in the rat caudate nucleus. Local injections of an NMDA receptor antagonist, 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid, were performed before induction of 30 minutes of reversible, insulin-induced, hypoglycemic coma. Neuronal necrosis in these animals after 1 week of recovery was reduced 90 percent compared to that in saline-injected animals. The results suggest that hypoglycemic neuronal damage is induced by NMDA receptor agonists, such as the excitatory amino acids or related compounds.
D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000166:cytology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D009336:Necrosis; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000378:metabolism
D000596:Amino Acids; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; C031231:2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid