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Abstract
The metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are family C G-protein-coupled receptors
that participate in the modulation of synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability
throughout the central nervous system. The mGluRs bind glutamate within a large extracellular
domain and transmit signals through the receptor protein to intracellular signaling
partners. A great deal of progress has been made in determining the mechanisms by
which mGluRs are activated, proteins with which they interact, and orthosteric and
allosteric ligands that can modulate receptor activity. The widespread expression
of mGluRs makes these receptors particularly attractive drug targets, and recent studies
continue to validate the therapeutic utility of mGluR ligands in neurological and
psychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, anxiety, depression,
and schizophrenia.