Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in Alzheimer's Disease Synaptic Dysfunction: Therapeutic Opportunities and Hope for the Future
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 25, 2025

Using Enzyme-based Biosensors to Measure Tonic and Phasic Glutamate in Alzheimer's Mouse Models
Published on: May 3, 2017
Akriti Srivastava1, Brati Das1, Annie Y Yao1
1Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT, USA.
Abstract:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The impaired synaptic plasticity and dendritic loss at the synaptic level is an early event associated with the AD pathogenesis. The abnormal accumulation of soluble oligomeric amyloid-β (Aβ), the major toxic component in amyloid plaques, is viewed to trigger synaptic dysfunctions through binding to several presynaptic and postsynaptic partners and thus to disrupt synaptic transmission. Over time, the abnormalities in neural transmission will result in cognitive deficits, which are commonly manifested as memory loss in AD patients. Synaptic plasticity is regulated through glutamate transmission, which is mediated by various glutamate receptors. Here we review recent progresses in the study of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in AD cognition. We will discuss the role of mGluRs in synaptic plasticity and their modulation as a possible strategy for AD cognitive improvement.
Related Concept Videos
Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ...
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that...
Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory
Glutamate and Synaptic Plasticity
Glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, is...

