D-serine is an antagonist of GluN2 containing triheteromeric NMDA receptors found in the temporal lobe of the brain. It has been shown that D-serine may be used to treat neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, that cause seizures.
Unexpectedly, it was recently discovered that D-serine inhibits neuroinflammation of brain cells after a brain injury by reducing the neurotoxic immune response of glial cells after the injury. Accordingly, D-serine may be used in the treatment of brain injuries to help prevent neural cell loss caused by harmful immune responses. Following brain injury an immune response is triggered and immune cells are directed to and sequestered to the site of injury. These immune cells release cytokines that exasperate the survivability of healthy neurons. Application of D-serine stopes the infiltration of these immune response cells to the site of injury, thereby preventing loss of healthy neurons by reducing the neuroinflammation response.
