Biochemistry, Glutamate

Excerpt

Because of its sheer abundance throughout the central nervous system in parallel with its complicated role in several metabolic pathways, the function of glutamate as a neurotransmitter and its clinical significance has only recently been illuminated. Glutamate is now acknowledged as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Clinically, aberrant glutamatergic activity has been associated with addiction, psychosis, neurodegeneration, and glial cell death. It has become a pharmacologic target in many areas of disease research.