Amino acids are still as exciting as ever.
Glutamate is probably the most important excitatory transmitter in the vertebrate central nervous system. Its multiple functional roles in the brain and spinal cord make therapeutic manipulation of these systems fraught with difficulties. There has, however, been recent progress in pharmacological manipulations of NMDA receptor subtypes and non-NMDA receptors, and understanding of the roles of NAAG, that promise rapid advances in pain control.
Carpenter
K J
KJ
Department of Pharmacology, University College London, UK. k.carpenter@ucl.ac.uk
Dickenson
A H
AH
D000818:Animals; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology*; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D004151:Dipeptides; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C027172:isospaglumic acid