PsychologyJuly 13, 2026

glutamate

/ˈɡluːtəmeɪt/

Definition

The primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the human brain that promotes neural signaling and activity.

Etymology

Derived from 'glutamic acid' and the chemical suffix '-ate' for salts or esters. 'Glutamic' itself stems from the Latin 'gluten', referring to glue or the sticky substance found in grains.

In the news

The article explains that LSD interacts with serotonin receptors to manipulate the release of glutamate, which helps alter the brain's internal chemical balance and promotes cognitive flexibility.

How LSD reshapes brain circuitry to blur the lines between perception and thought

Read the full article ↗

PsyPost

Related words

Learn words like this every day

Meet new words every morning.

Newspoken pulls carefully chosen words from the day’s news — with clear definitions, context, and light review that makes them stick. Get it on your phone.