excitotoxicity


excitotoxicity

(ek-sī'tō-tok-sis'i-tē), Neuronal death resulting from increased intracellular glutamate; neuronal ischemia leads to ATP loss and depolarization, with glutamate release from synapses, and subsequent overstimulation leading to sodium and calcium ion gate porosity.

excitotoxicity

Neurology Neuronal injury caused by excessive release of excitatory neurotransmitters–glutamate and aspartate causing damage to nerve and glial cells, which occurs in diverse neurologic diseases that may be acute–eg hypoglycemia, seizures, stroke, or trauma or chronic neurodegenerative disease–eg AIDS-dementia complex, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington's disease, and possibly Alzheimer's disease