How do glucocorticoids damage the hippocampus?
• in glial cells, the decrease in glucose-uptake following glucocorticoid administration can inhibit their ability to buffer synapses from excess levels of glutamate • glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that acts at specific receptors; at the NMDA receptor, glutamate acts to increase the flow of Ca2+ into cells • too much glutamate at synapse can lead to too much influx of Ca2+ within neurons • an inability to regulate intracellular Ca2+ levels can damage cells and ultimately lead to cell death • Previous slide Next slide Back to first slide View graphic version
