N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDARs) in stroke pathogenesis and treatments

Abstract

N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDARs) play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of neuronal injuries following a stroke insult; therefore, a plethora of preclinical studies focus on better understanding functions of NMDARs and their associated signaling pathways. Over the past decades, NMDARs have been found to exert dual effects in neuronal deaths signaling and neuronal survival signaling during cerebral ischemia. Moreover, many complex intracellular signaling pathways downstream of NMDAR activation have been elucidated, which provide novel targets for developing much-needed neuro-protectants for patients with stroke. In this review, we will discuss the recent progress in understanding the underlying mechanisms of stroke related to NMDAR activation and the potential therapeutic strategies based on these discoveries.

Keywords

N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDARs) / stroke treatments / neuronal survival signaling complex (NSC) / neuronal death signaling complex (NDC)