Focal Cerebral Ischemia and Reperfusion Induce Brain Injury Through α2δ-1–Bound NMDA Receptors

Background and Purpose— Glutamate NMDARs (N-methyl- D -aspartate receptors) play a major role in the initiation of ischemic brain damage. However, NMDAR antagonists have no protective effects in stroke patients, possibly because they impair physiological functions of NMDARs. α2δ-1 (encoded by Cacna2d1 ) is strongly expressed in many brain regions. We determined the contribution of α2δ-1 to NMDAR hyperactivity and brain injury induced by ischemia...