Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists-induced recurrent seizure in elderly patient.

Abuse of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) has been associated with young individuals. The abuse of SCRAs is very rare in elderly people, but a few cases highlight the SCRAs-induced side effects. These substances lead to a variety of clinical and psychiatric symptoms including seizures.

Transduction of group I mGluR-mediated synaptic plasticity by β-arrestin2 signalling.

Conventional signalling by the group I metabotropic glutamate receptors, mGluR1 and mGluR5, occurs through G-protein coupling, but evidence suggests they might also utilize other, non-canonical effector pathways. Here we test whether group I mGluRs require β-arrestin signalling during specific forms of plasticity at hippocampal excitatory synapses. We find that genetic ablation of β-arrestin2, but not β-arrestin1, results in deficits in plasticity mediated by mGlu1 receptors in CA3 pyramidal neurons and by mGlu5 receptors in CA1 pyramidal neurons.

Scaffold protein X11α interacts with kalirin-7 in dendrites and recruits it to Golgi outposts.

Pyramidal neurons in the mammalian forebrain receive their synaptic inputs through their dendritic trees, and dendritic spines are the sites of most excitatory synapses. Dendritic spine structure is important for brain development and plasticity. Kalirin-7 is a guanine nucleotide-exchange factor for the small GTPase Rac1 and is a critical regulator of dendritic spine remodeling.

Studies on an (S)-2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolyl)propionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonist IKM-159: asymmetric synthesis, neuroactivity, and structural characterization.

IKM-159 was developed and identified as a member of a new class of heterotricyclic glutamate analogues that act as AMPA receptor-selective antagonists. However, it was not known which enantiomer of IKM-159 was responsible for its pharmacological activities. Here, we report in vivo and in vitro neuronal activities of both enantiomers of IKM-159 prepared by enantioselective asymmetric synthesis.