Thesis / Dissertation
The Role of Metals and Aβ in Excitotoxicity and Alzheimer’s Disease
T JOHANSSEN, KJ Barnham (ed.), AF Hill (ed.), S Nuttall (ed.)
Published : 2015
Abstract
Background: N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are ionotropic channels gated by the excitatory amino acid, glutamate. They play an essential role in synaptic plasticity, enhancing synaptic signal strength through long-term potentiation (LTP), a process thought to underlie learning and memory. At the synapse, NMDARs mediate neuroprotective signaling pathways including the regulation of calcineurin activity and inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3). Under pathological conditions the prolonged and enhanced exposure of NMDARs to glutamate results in an excessive flux of calcium (Ca2+) into the cell. This triggers a range of responses resulting in cell death, including increased oxid..
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