Metabotropic glutamate 2/3 receptors as drug targets.

Metabotropic glutamate receptors are a family of class III G-protein-coupled receptors comprising eight members (mGluR1-8), which are an attractive target in the central nervous system because of the widespread use of glutamate as the principal excitatory amino acid transmitter. The unique pharmacology of class III G-protein coupled receptors, their forebrain localization in key limbic-related cortical/thalamic/striatal/amygdaloid circuits, and the promise of subtle modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission make these receptors intriguing targets for a wide variety of neuropsychiatric disorders.