Schizophrenia, dissociative anaesthesia and near-death experience;
three events meeting at the NMDA receptor
by
Bonta IL.
Department of Pharmacology,
Erasmus University Rotterdam,
The Netherlands.
bonta@internet-zahav.net
Med Hypotheses. 2004;62(1):23-8

ABSTRACT

The three events, viz. schizophrenia, dissociative anaesthesia and Near-Death Experience, despite their seemingly unrelated manifestation to each other, have nevertheless similar functional basis. All three events are linked to the glutamate sensitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor complex, which serves as their common functional denominator. Arguments and speculations are presented in favor of the view that, the three events might be considered as functional models of each other. Antagonism to the recognition NMDA-site of the receptor induces dissociative anaesthesia and precipitates Near-Death Experience. Agonist reinforcement at the modulatory glycine-site of the receptor counteracts negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Both types of challenges towards the receptor are compatible with a glutamate deficiency concept which underlies the meeting of the three events at the NMDA receptor.

People
Ketamine
Glutamate
Brain microtubules
Obstetric anaesthesia
Molecular mechanisms
'My beloved chloroform'
'The secularisation of pain'
Acetylcholine/nicotinic receptors
Obstetric anaesthesia/John Snow
Volatile anesthetics and NMDA glutamate receptors

Refs
HOME
HedWeb
Future Opioids
BLTC Research
Paradise-Engineering
The Hedonistic Imperative
MDMA: Utopian Pharmacology

The Good Drug Guide
The Responsible Parent's Guide
To Healthy Mood Boosters For All The Family