Glutamate Receptors and Glutamate Corticofugal Pathways

Although the neurochemical anatomy of many pathways in human brain has been studied, little attention has been paid to the human pyramidal system. This pathway is very important for voluntary motor control in vertebrates, and pyramidal tract pathology leads to hemiparesis or hemiplegia in primates and man (Phillips and Porter, 1977). Identification of the neurotransmitter of the pyramidal tract would allow a more systematic investigation of drugs for the treatment of the neurological consequences of stroke, spinal cord and head trauma, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and cerebral palsy.