First, it helps to understand what we mean by receptor.
The brain contains cells called neurons.
These are the cells that send and receive the electrical impulses that control your body.
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Neurons are specializedeach one only deals with certain types of information.
The chemicals that send information from neuron to neuron are called neurotransmitters.
Some of the better-known ones include serotonin and dopamine.
Neurotransmitters specialize in certain types of information, as well.
For instance, serotonin is involved in the sleep cycle, while dopamine deals with movement and addiction.
For a neurotransmitter to move signals through a neuron, it first has to “unlock” it.
That’s where receptors come in.
Think of receptors as boat slips or ports on your machine.
Not every boat fits in every slip, and not every cable fits in every port.
What NMDA Receptors Do
NMDA stands forN-methyl-D-aspartate, which describes the chemical make-up of the receptors.
NMDA receptors are involved in a lot of important processes in your brain.
As we age, our NMDA receptors naturally become less and less functional.
NMDA receptors are also one of a few receptors that processopiate/opioid painkillersin our brains.
They stimulate and “excite” the neurons.
Eventually, they become so overexcited that they die.
That kind of overstimulation is called “excitotoxicity.”
Glutamate and aspartate, in excess, are both classified as excitotoxins.
To keep excitotoxicity from killing our brain cells, we also have neurotransmitters that calm the neurons.
They’re called inhibitors.
Many drugs and supplements are believed to alter the function of NMDA receptors.
They come in two opposite forms: antagonists and agonists.
In the medical sense, antagonists are drugs that slow or block things.
Many neurodegenerative diseases and other central nervous system disorders are sometimes treated with these types of medications.
These drugs are sometimes used to treat mood and mental disorders, including schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts.
Only a healthcare provider can properly diagnose and treat conditions that involve things like receptors and neurotransmitters.
