Recent advances in targeting the ionotropic glutamate receptors in treating schizophrenia.

Abstract

The treatment of schizophrenia has been focused on modulation of dopamine receptors for over 50 years. Recent developments have implicated other neurotransmitter systems in the pathophysiology of this illness. The discovery and characterization of glutamate receptors and their roles in the brain has lead to novel approaches for the treatment of schizophrenia. In this article, we review drugs that modulate ionotropic gluamate receptors and discuss their efficacy for the treatment of this often debilitating severe mental illness.

• Authors: Robert E McCullumsmith, John Hammond, Adam Funk, James H Meador-Woodruff
• Journal: Current pharmaceutical biotechnology (Curr Pharm Biotechnol) Vol. 13 Issue 8 Pg. 1535-42 (Jun 2012) ISSN: 1873-4316 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 22283761 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Antipsychotic Agents
• Receptors, Ionotropic Glutamate
• Glutamic Acid

Topics

• Antipsychotic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Glutamic Acid (physiology)
• Humans
• Receptors, Ionotropic Glutamate (physiology)
• Schizophrenia (drug therapy, physiopathology)