Fig. 11.

Proposed scheme of inflammatory neurodegeneration mediated by glial NO. NO produced by activated microglia or astrocytes inhibits mitochondrial (mito) respiration of surrounding neurons, causing glutamate release (through glutamate transporters;GluT) from neurons (and possibly from astrocytes) and then stimulation of NMDA receptors (NMDAR). Activation of NMDA receptors by glutamate (possibly aided by respiratory inhibition-induced depolarization) triggers massive influx of Ca²⁺ into neurons, leading to apoptotic or necrotic cell death.