Our proposal entitled “Genetic ‘Saturation’ of the NMDA Receptor Glycine Co-Agonist Site” was selected for a NARSAD Young Investigator Grant from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation. We are interested in understanding the fundamental basis for the unique requirement of NMDA receptors to bind both glutamate and a co-agonist (either glycine or D-serine). Even though our understanding is quite limited, in schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders, significant efforts have been made to clinically enhance NMDA receptor activity though this co-agonist site, either directly by high-dose administration of glycine, D-serine or D-cycloserine (a partial agonist) or indirectly though inhibition of glycine transporters or D-amino acid oxidase. We’re hoping that a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of NMDA receptor function and synapse biology will allow us to develop improved treatments for schizophrenia.
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