The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is a glutamate receptor, the human brain's primary excitatory neurotransmitter. It plays an integral role in synaptic plasticity, a neuronal mechanism believed to be the basis of memory formation. NMDA receptors also appear to be involved in a process called excitotoxicity. Excitotoxicity may play a role in the pathophysiology of a variety of diseases, such as epilepsy or Alzheimer disease. Many drugs inhibit NMDA receptors, including ketamine and phen...
