Dendritic and mitochondrial changes during glutamate excitotoxicity

Glutamate is the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) and is normally stored intracellularly. However, in instances of CNS injury or disease, increased concentrations of extracellular glutamate can result in the over-activation of ionotropic glutamate receptors and trigger neuronal cell death (termed excitotoxicity). Two early hallmarks of such neuronal toxicity are mitochondrial dysfunction...