Topic: metabotropic glutamate receptor 5

Epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder have a high degree of comorbidity, likely due to shared underlying predisposing factors. Loss of αV and β3 integrin subunits have been implicated in the onset of epilepsy and autism, respectively. However, the role of the αVβ3 integrin receptor in these disorders remains unclear. Integrins are heterodimeric receptors involved in mechanotransduction between the extracellular matrix and the intracellular cytoskeleton. In the brain, β3 integrin forms heterodimers with αV integrin, regulating the synaptic localization of GluA2-containig AMPA receptors (AMPARs)

Understanding the neurobiological alterations associated with neuropathic pain is crucial for treatment interventions, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Neuropathic pain causes many alterations in brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The mPFC activity is decreased in the neuropathic pain state, which is associated with increased metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) activity in this region. Here, we investigated whether mGluR5 inactivation restores neuropathic pain and, if so, how this inactivation affects local circuits in the mPFC. First, w

Considered by the WHO as the world’s most disabling psychiatric disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD) severely affects patients’ quality of life. Treating patients with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the first-line treatment, improve symptoms but have many limitations, such as delayed clinical benefit and resistance to treatment. Recently, clinical evidences showed that hallucinogenic agonists of the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor, such as LSD or psilocybin, induce rapid and lasting antidepressant effects. 5-HT2A receptor activation is known to promote synaptic plasticity, but the molec