NMDA receptor pathways as drug targets

Nat Neurosci. 2002 Nov:5 Suppl:1039-42. doi: 10.1038/nn936.

Abstract

Since the mid 1980s, there has been a great deal of enthusiasm within both academia and industry about the therapeutic potential of drugs targeting the NMDA subtype of glutamate receptors. That early promise is just beginning to translate into approvable drugs. Here we review the reasons for this slow progress and critically assess the future prospects for drugs that act on NMDA receptor pathways, including potential treatments for some major disorders such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease, for which effective therapies are still lacking.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Brain Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Brain Diseases / metabolism
  • Brain Diseases / physiopathology
  • Drug Design*
  • Drug Industry / trends*
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / therapeutic use
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Neural Pathways / drug effects*
  • Neural Pathways / metabolism
  • Neural Pathways / physiopathology
  • Neurosciences / trends*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / drug effects*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / metabolism

Substances

  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate