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Cited by 312Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchMemory and Neural MechanismsNicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study

The role of NMDA receptors in information processing

Daw, N W, Stein, P S G, Fox, K·1993·Annual Review of Neuroscience
DOI 10.1146/annurev.ne.16.030193.001231
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Abstract

In this review, we have concentrated on the parallels between the cellular properties of the NMDA receptor and a variety of functional properties within sensory and motor systems. Of course, the NMDA channel exists within the cell in conjunction with a variety of other channels, including non-NMDA channels. Although the NMDA receptor is unique in a cellular sense--it is the only ligand-gated channel that is also voltage dependent and calcium permeable--it is not unique in a functional sense. A cell that has non-NMDA receptors and voltage-sensitive channels will also exhibit nonlinear behavior. Moreover, Buhrle & Sonnhof (1983) demonstrated some time ago that calcium flows into frog motor neurons through more than one type of calcium channel. The contribution to the inflow of calcium from NMDA channels may vary from cell to cell and could easily be a minor proportion of the total. Many authors have pointed out that the NMDA channel has a low conductance at a resting potential of -70 mV. However, many cells in the nervous system are depolarized from -70 mV by excitatory input. Thus, as pointed out above. NMDA receptors make a contribution to the tonic or spontaneous activity of cells in both visual cortex and spinal cord. In practice, many cells are probably working in a range of membrane potentials where the NMDA channels are always open to some extent. Even in the hippocampal slice where a substantial amount of afferent input is removed, NMDA receptors contribute to spontaneous activity (Sah et al 1989). Does the NMDA receptor act as a switch? Does it act as an AND gate? The suggestion that it may act as a switch comes from work on LTP in the hippocampus, which is readily produced by high-frequency stimulation and is abolished by APV. However, activation of the NMDA receptor is only the first in a sequence of reactions leading to LTP: In theory, switch-like behavior could also be produced by calcium-buffering systems within dendritic spines, or by enzymatic processes (Lisman 1985; Zador et al 1990). Fox & Daw (1992) have modeled the action of NMDA and non-NMDA receptors that are activated in parallel with each other, and shown that the occurrence of switch-like behavior depends on the relative density of NMDA versus non-NMDA receptors. Switch-like behavior is not seen in the visual cortex, but might be seen in the hippocampus if the relative density of NMDA receptors there was higher than in the visual cortex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

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  • NMDA seems to have a central role in gain control.

    “Visual pathways within the brain use glutamate as their primary neurotransmitter, and N-methyl d-aspartate (NMDA) seems to have a central role in gain control.”

    From Visual perception and its impairment in schizophrenia (2008) · cites this paper as [15]

  • NMDA receptors amplify responses to isolated stimuli as well as amplifying the effects of lateral inhibition.

    “For instance, NMDA receptors amplify responses to isolated stimuli as well as amplifying the effects of lateral inhibition (e.g., increase surround antagonism of center receptive field responses) (15).”

    From Visual perception and its impairment in schizophrenia (2008) · cites this paper as [15]

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Authors
Daw, N. W., Stein, P. S. G., & Fox, K.
Affiliations
Yale University (US)
ORCID
Venue
Annual Review of Neuroscience
Publisher
Annual Reviews
Published
1993-03
Volume
16
Issue
1
Pages
207-222
ISSN
  • 0147-006X (ISSN-L)
  • 1545-4126
DOI
10.1146/annurev.ne.16.030193.001231
OpenAlex
W2179166911
Cited by
311
References
64
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 17
FWCI
8.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Annual Review of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5p01ns029343-02)
  • National Eye Institute (R01EY000053, EY-00053)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS27759, NS29343)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study
Keywords
NMDA receptor, synaptic plasticity, long-term potentiation, switch-like behavior, non-NMDA receptors, calcium influx, spontaneous neuronal activity, hippocampus, visual cortex, motor neurons, dendritic spines, calcium buffering, APV, glutamate receptors, dendritic integration
MeSH terms
Animals, Brain, Mental Processes, Neurons, Nociceptors, Spinal Cord, Synapses, Visual Cortex, Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate, N-Methylaspartate

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