Glutamate (GLU) is the major fast excitatory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system. Its effects are conveyed through ionotropic receptors that can be divided into two main classes: N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA. Each type of receptor is made up of any variety of a number of receptor subunits. Alterations in receptor subunits have been associated with a number of neurological disorders including Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and schizophrenia of this proposal is to gain a better understanding of EAA receptors in CNS trauma and neuronal degeneration that leads to cognitive and sensory-motor deficits. This can be done using an experimental neurodegenerative model of spinal cord injury. The overall aims of this proposal are: (1) to examine the levels of ionotropic GLU receptor subunit expression following contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) compared to control levels; (2) to examine specific subpopulations of neurons and glia in the normal and injured spinal cord injury; 3) to examine phosphorylation status of receptor subunits after injury.
| Grossman, S D; Rosenberg, L J; Wrathall, J R (2001) Temporal-spatial pattern of acute neuronal and glial loss after spinal cord contusion. Exp Neurol 168:273-82 |
| Grossman, S D; Rosenberg, L J; Wrathall, J R (2001) Relationship of altered glutamate receptor subunit mRNA expression to acute cell loss after spinal cord contusion. Exp Neurol 168:283-9 |
| Prybylowski, K L; Grossman, S D; Wrathall, J R et al. (2001) Expression of splice variants of the NR1 subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in the normal and injured rat spinal cord. J Neurochem 76:797-805 |
| Grossman, S D; Wrathall, J R (2000) The role of activity blockade on glutamate receptor subunit expression in the spinal cord. Brain Res 880:183-6 |
