Editing NMDA receptor (section)

=== Therapeutic application ===
Excitotoxicity is implied to be involved in some neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and [[amyotrophic lateral sclerosis]].<ref name="Chen" /><ref name="Kemp" /><ref name="Lipton1" /><ref name="Koch" /> Blocking of NMDA receptors could therefore, in theory, be useful in treating such diseases.<ref name="Chen" /><ref name="Kemp" /><ref name="Lipton1" /> It is, however, important to preserve physiological NMDA receptor activity while trying to block its excessive, excitotoxic activity. This can possibly be achieved by uncompetitive antagonists, blocking the receptor's ion channel when excessively open <ref name="Lipton1" />

Memantine is an example of uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist that has approved indication for the neurodegenerative disease Alzheimer's disease. In 2015 memantine is still in clinical trials for additional neurological diseases.<ref name="Limapichat" /><ref name="Lipton3" />