The NMDA receptor as a site for psychopathology. Primary or secondary role?

Henn, F. A. (December 1995) The NMDA receptor as a site for psychopathology. Primary or secondary role? Archives of General Psychiatry, 52 (12). 1008-10; discussion 1019. ISSN 0003-990X (Print)0003-990X (Linking)

Abstract

The Article by Olney and Farber elaborates a hypothesis concerning the role of decreased N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function as an etiological factor in schizophrenia. The novel feature of this hypothesis is that the postulated structural lesion, due to attenuated NMDA receptor function, can potentially reconcile the age of onset data2 with the hypothesis that early neurodevelopmental disturbances underlie schizophrenic symptom production.3,4 The fact that the psychotic phase of the disorder is usually initially manifest in the early adult years is at variance with the hypothesis that the lesion leading to psychosis may occur as early as the second trimester of pregnancy. A potential solution is suggested through results of animal studies reported by Farber et al,5 showing that structural damage due to NMDA antagonists such as phencyclidine hydrochloride (PCP) is not found experimentally until after puberty.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: Glutamic Acid/physiology Humans *Psychopathology Psychotic Disorders/*metabolism Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/*metabolism Schizophrenia/*etiology
Subjects: diseases & disorders > mental disorders
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > NMDA receptor
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Henn lab
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: December 1995
Date Deposited: 06 Jun 2014 20:42
Last Modified: 06 Jun 2014 20:42
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/30247

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