title: Significance of dysfunctional glutamatergic transmission for the development of psychotic symptoms.
abstract: It has been postulated that disturbances in glutamatergic transmission may contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This view is based on several findings: (1) the noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists, phencyclidine and ketamine, induce both positive and negative psychotic symptoms in humans, which closely resemble those observed in schizophrenia; (2) a number of animal studies have shown that neuroleptics that ameliorate symptoms of schizophrenia (e.g. clozapine) also inhibit the effects of NMDA antagonists; (3) postmortem and in vivo studies have revealed alterations in ionotropic glutamate receptors (NMDA, AMPA, KA) and their modulatory sites in schizophrenia; (4) compounds enhancing the function of NMDA receptors potentiate the antipsychotic effects of neuroleptics in schizophrenic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuro-Psychopharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smetna 12, PL 31-343 Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pietraszek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018698:Glutamic Acid