• Psychology -> Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology

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How does age affect NMDA receptor expression and function? Are these receptors more or less important in young versus older individuals?

Gisele Side

Age can affect how certain parts of our brains work, including a type of receptor called NMDA. These receptors are like little doorways that let certain chemicals into our brain cells. When we are younger, we have more of these NMDA receptors, which can help us learn and remember new things.

As we get older, we start to lose some of these NMDA receptors, and they may start to work differently. This can make it harder for older people to learn new things and remember them.

But it's not all bad news! Some researchers think that when we lose some NMDA receptors, it can actually help our brains work better in other ways. So, while young people might need lots of NMDA receptors to learn and grow, older people can still use their brains in different and important ways even with fewer NMDA receptors.