Unconventional NMDA Receptor Signaling

J Neurosci. 2017 Nov 8;37(45):10800-10807. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1825-17.2017.

Abstract

In the classical view, NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are stably expressed at the postsynaptic membrane, where they act via Ca2+ to signal coincidence detection in Hebbian plasticity. More recently, it has been established that NMDAR-mediated transmission can be dynamically regulated by neural activity. In addition, NMDARs have been found presynaptically, where they cannot act as conventional coincidence detectors. Unexpectedly, NMDARs have also been shown to signal metabotropically, without the need for Ca2+ This review highlights novel findings concerning these unconventional modes of NMDAR action.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; LTD; LTP; metabotropic NMDA receptor; presynaptic NMDA receptor; short-term plasticity.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology

Substances

  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate