Type: Amino acid
Receptors: NMDA, AMPA, kainate, mGluRs
Region-specific functions:

• Cortex (especially prefrontal): Cognition, attention, working memory

• Hippocampus: Long-term potentiation (LTP), learning, memory encoding

• Thalamus: Sensory relay and filtering

• Cerebellum: Motor coordination and error correction

• Basal ganglia: Excitatory drive to motor loops

• Excess activity → excitotoxicity (seen in stroke, epilepsy)