Plasticity of NMDA receptor NR2B subunit in memory and chronic pain.

Abstract

Glutamatergic synapses play critical roles in brain functions and diseases. Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a most effective cellular model for investigating the synaptic changes that underlie learning as well as brain disease--although different molecular mechanisms are likely involved in LTP in physiological and pathological conditions. In the case of learning, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is known to be important for triggering learning-related plasticity; alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic (AMPA) receptors are thought to be important for the expression of synaptic changes. In this review, I will examine recent evidence on the novel roles of NMDA receptors, in particular NR2B subunit-containing NMDA receptors in learning and chronic pain. A positive feedback control of NR2B receptor subunit is proposed to explain cortical sensitization involved in chronic pain, but not learning and memory.

• Authors: Min Zhuo
• Journal: Molecular brain (Mol Brain) Vol. 2 Pg. 4 (Feb 03 2009) ISSN: 1756-6606 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19192303 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• NR2B NMDA receptor
• Protein Subunits
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate

Topics

• Animals
• Chronic Disease
• Humans
• Memory (physiology)
• Neuronal Plasticity (physiology)
• Pain (physiopathology)
• Protein Subunits (metabolism)
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (metabolism)