Excitatory amino acids contribute to the pathogenesis of perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

A large body of experimental evidence indicates that over-activation of excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptors may mediate irreversible neuronal injury in a variety of pathologic settings including cerebral ischemia, and that the developing brain may be particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of EAA receptor overactivation. In this article, we review current information about EAA receptor pharmacology and EAA neurotoxicity in the immature brain, and summarize recent experimental data indicating that EAA contribute to the pathogenesis of perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.