NMDA
by Kathy Morgan

(sung to the tune of " YMCA", by The Village People)

Students--there's a place you should know
A receptor for neurons on the go
Named for its agonist in the usual way--
the receptor NMDA

Listen, while I tell you a tale
of receptors without which you would fail
to remember anything that I say
the receptors NMDA!

CHORUS:
LTP happens at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
When magnesium ions
get outta the way,
Ca2 can come in to play......
LTP happens at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
Keeping membrane potential
in an excited state
makes cells easy to activate!

When the NT called glutamate
binds receptors known as AMPA
cell potential moves the positive way
and unplugs sites NMDA
When NMDA sites are free
of magnesium, they let in chemistry--
charged-up calcium, and charged sodium stay
so the next time cells fire a-way.........

CHORUS:
LTP happens at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
When magnesium ions
get outta the way,
Ca2 can come in to play......
LTP happens at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
Keeping membrane potential
in an excited state
makes cells easy to activate!

Next time signals come down that path
and the cell does all the ionic math
to reach threshold will take less and less work--
that's the po-ten-ti-a-tion perk!
Glutamate, quit just hangin' around
Get a move-on, time to get yourself bound
to receptors, like the NMDA--
time to get mem'ry under way

CHORUS:
LTP happens at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
When magnesium ions
get outta the way,
Ca2 can come in to play......
LTP happens at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
Keeping membrane potential
in an excited state
makes cells easy to activate!

Neurons, are you listening to me?
I said neurons, what do you want to be?
I said neurons, you can make memories
but you got to have this one thing....
No cell does it all by itself
I said neurons, put your pride on the shelf
use those receptors named for NMDA
And your potential will always stay

CHORUS:
LTP happens at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
When magnesium ions
get outta the way,
Ca2 can come in to play......
LTP happens at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
Keeping membrane potential
in an excited state
makes cells easy to activate!

Neural pathways that you don't use
Their synapses you are likely to lose
Without working, they will wither away
And you just might need them some day......
That's why we should all celebrate
and make use of receptors for glutamate
And our neurons work to potentiate
Thanks to sites like NMDA!

CHORUS:
LTP happens 'at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
When magnesium ions
get outta the way,
Ca2 can come in to play......
LTP happens 'at the NMDA
receptors, yeah at the NMDA
Keeping membrane potential
in an excited state
makes cells easy to activate!

NMDA.......potentiation at the NMDA
When those NMDA sites fin-ally are all bound
You just can't keep firing rates down!
NMDA.......potentiation at the NMDA
NMDA.......potentiation at the NMDA
Neurons, neurons, are you listening to me?
Neurons, neurons, you can make memories....