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Kainate receptors: an interplay between excitatory and inhibitory synapses
Author(s) -
Lerma Juan
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(98)00462-1
Subject(s) - kainate receptor , ampa receptor , excitatory postsynaptic potential , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , ionotropic effect , long term depression , silent synapse , glutamate receptor , neuroscience , receptor , chemistry , kainic acid , nmda receptor , gabaergic , gabaa receptor , biology , pharmacology , biochemistry
The potent excitatory amino acid glutamate mediates its excitatory effects through a great variety of specific ionotropic receptors, including NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptors. Despite the identification, isolation and cloning of several subunits of the kainate receptor, this receptor has been rather elusive and its function remains enigmatic. Recent results indicate that kainate receptors can be reached by synaptically released glutamate and that their activation downregulates GABAergic inhibition by modulating the reliability of GABA synapses. Thus, kainate receptors may have a role in the etiology of epilepsy and could become a target for antiepileptic drugs.