About this Research Topic
Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and exerts its effects via activation of both ionotropic glutamate receptors and metabotropic glutamate receptors. Glutamate receptors are ubiquitously expressed in the brain and their activation is upstream of a myriad of signaling pathways and therefore they have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various brain diseases. Novel signal transduction mechanisms initiated by glutamate receptor activation continue to be described and understanding the contribution of such mechanisms to the pathophysiology of various brain diseases is key in developing effective therapeutic approaches for these diseases.
One key feature of glutamate receptors is the ability to trigger a plethora of signaling mechanisms and therefore mediate a multitude of complex physiological functions in the brain. As we learn more about the crystal structure, subunit oligomerization and the posttranslational modifications of various receptors, we continue to increase our understanding of the signaling cascades triggered by glutamate receptors. Delineating these novel mechanisms is key to understand the contribution of each receptor subtype to the pathophysiology of various psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, it will also facilitate the process of discovering effective pharmacological tools to target glutamate receptors for therapeutic applications.
We welcome all submissions (original research, review article or commentaries) that cover glutamate receptor signaling in different physiological and pathophysiological contexts in the brain with a focus on psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative diseases. Themes to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Novel insights into glutamate receptors signaling
• Oligomerization and post translational modification of glutamate receptors signaling
• Biased signaling of glutamate receptors
• Contribution of glutamate receptors to psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative diseases
• Regulation of glutamate receptors by genetic risk alleles for brain disorders.
• Pharmacological ligands of glutamate receptors as a therapeutic approach for psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative diseases.
• Novel methodologies and tools to test glutamate receptor signaling mechanisms in the brain
One key feature of glutamate receptors is the ability to trigger a plethora of signaling mechanisms and therefore mediate a multitude of complex physiological functions in the brain. As we learn more about the crystal structure, subunit oligomerization and the posttranslational modifications of various receptors, we continue to increase our understanding of the signaling cascades triggered by glutamate receptors. Delineating these novel mechanisms is key to understand the contribution of each receptor subtype to the pathophysiology of various psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, it will also facilitate the process of discovering effective pharmacological tools to target glutamate receptors for therapeutic applications.
We welcome all submissions (original research, review article or commentaries) that cover glutamate receptor signaling in different physiological and pathophysiological contexts in the brain with a focus on psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative diseases. Themes to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Novel insights into glutamate receptors signaling
• Oligomerization and post translational modification of glutamate receptors signaling
• Biased signaling of glutamate receptors
• Contribution of glutamate receptors to psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative diseases
• Regulation of glutamate receptors by genetic risk alleles for brain disorders.
• Pharmacological ligands of glutamate receptors as a therapeutic approach for psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative diseases.
• Novel methodologies and tools to test glutamate receptor signaling mechanisms in the brain
Keywords: glutamate, ionotropic glutamate receptors, metabotropic glutamate receptors, neurotransmitter, signaling pathways, brain, brain diseases, therapies
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
