The emergence of NMDA receptor metabotropic function: Insights from imaging

Abstract

The NMDA receptor (R) participates in many important physiological and pathologicalprocesses. For example, its activation is required for both long-term potentiation (LTP)and long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission, cellular models of learning andmemory. Furthermore, it may play a role in the actions of amyloid-beta on synapsesas well as in the signaling leading to cell death following stroke. Until recently, theseprocesses were thought to be mediated by ion-flux through the receptor. Using acombination of imaging and electrophysiological approaches, ion-flux independentfunctions of the NMDAR were recently examined. In this review, we will discuss therole of metabotropic NMDAR function in LTD and synaptic dysfunction.