Researchers Identify Function Of Brain Receptor Subunit Linked To Memory, Stroke...( receptor and reducing theamount of cal...)

receptor and reducing the amount of calcium entering the nerve cell. NR3A is expressed very early in life when brain cells are extremely sensitive to glutamate toxicity. The subunit also appears to be involved in synaptic plasticity by regulating the development of dendritic spines.

"Our findings point to a paradigm shift in how NMDA receptors work," says Lipton. "We want to learn more about the NR3A subunit with the hope of possibly developing drugs or gene therapy to protect nerve cells from injury caused by neurological diseases."

For Nakanishi, the knockout mouse holds promise as the first animal model for synaptic plasticity. Activation of the NMDA receptor determines whether neuronal activity is worthy of memory. He plans to further study the role of NMDA receptors in synaptic plasticity and memory formation.

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Contact: Peta Gillyatt
pgillyat@warren.med.harvard.edu
617-432-0443
Harvard Medical School
26-May-1998

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