Some neuroscience researchers specializing in this area have been focusing their attention on the interaction of proteins such as NMDA (N-methyl-d-aspartate) receptors, glutamate receptors, and quisqualate receptors in an effort to determine the extent to which the interaction determines the activation of short- and long-term memory.
In their explorations, the researchers hope to understand one of the most important pathways of the brain - a pathway that appears to play a major role not only in memory, but also in the pathogenesis of various neurologic diseases.
The accompanying chart - based on the Institute for Scientific Infor- mation's 1987 Research Front database - demonstrates the dramatic emergence of "excitatory amino acids" as a particularly fast-developing field within the general area of neurotoxicity.
A "research front" is a specialty area containing a group of intellectually related papers published in a given year (here, 1987) as well the earlier - or ~~"core" ...
