Glutamatergic pathophysiology

Question 1

what is the most prominent pathophysiology associated with glutamatergic transmission?

Answer 1

excito-toxicity

Question 2

what is excito-toxicity?

Answer 2

excessive excitation caused by glutamate

Question 3

what cause excito-toxicity?

Answer 3

increase glutamate release
decrease glutamate uptake

Question 4

what happens when there’s overstimulation of glutamate receptors?

Answer 4

increase cytosolic Ca2+

Question 5

what happens when there’s too much cytosolic Ca2+?

Answer 5

increase Ca2+ dependent degradation enzymes and mitochondrial damage –> mitochondria cell death

Question 6

what diseases are caused by excito-toxicity?

Answer 6

neurodegenerative diseases:
alzheimer’s disease AD
parkinson’s disease PD
huntington’s disease HD
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS
stroke and trauma - injuries to the brain
hyperanalgesia - increase pain sensitivity
epilepsy

Question 7

what happens during a stroke?

Answer 7

O2 supply to the brain is lost