leonardo learning: excitotoxins

Being a non-doctor and a layman I will explain excitoxins as best I can in layman's terms. I have always been interested in the functions of the brain an I enjoy learning and reading about the brain. Excitotoxins are substances, usually amino acids that react with certain receptors in the brain. Glutamate is one of the more common amino acids and neurotransmitter excitotoxins used by the brain. You may know glutamate from the good ole days and a little thing called MSG. Glutamate occurs naturally in the brain in small doses but when the level rises to abnormal levels the neurons start firing like a Macy's firework display and fry themselves into a quick and untimely death. The brain cannot handle extra excitotoxins anymore than a drug addict can handle a credit card. The brain does try to regulate the amount of excitotoxins it lets into the brain via something called the blood brain barrier (BBB) this is kind of like the crossing guard of the brain but there are many instances where security can be breached (diabetes, stroke hypertension, age etc) aspartic acid is another excitotoxin, it is also known as aspartate and was the genesis of the name / product/ brain eater called aspartame. Excitotoxins also destroy neurons by generating a large number of free radicals. It should be noted that this also occurs throughout the body as well and free radicals have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases--parkinsons, alzheimers, AlS.  This has been my layman's interpretation of excitotoxins and the effect on the brain and body and the danger of adding extra excitotxins into our system via diet coke and aspartame, MSG etc...

now back to dancing with the stars.