Glutamate

Authors

Affiliations

Nathaniel Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Overview

• Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter¹

Dysfunction

Excitotoxicity caused neurodegeneration

• Excess glutamate triggers a cascade of events leading to cell death¹

Related pathologies

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis via excitotoxicity
  • Increased levels of glutamate in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma, and in postmortem tissue of individuals with ALS have been reported¹
  • Researchers attribute a deficiency in excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) in the motor cortex and spinal cord of postmortem ALS tissue was reported and lends support to the theory of excitotoxicity causing neurodegeneration.

References

1.

O’Sullivan SB, Schmitz TJ, Fulk GD, eds. Physical Rehabilitation. 7th ed. F.A. Davis Company; 2019.