If a patient with a severe concussion experiences a prolonged metabolic crisis post-injury, which consequence involving glutamate excitotoxicity is most likely, given insufficient energy to maintain ion gradients?

💡 Explanation

Increased neuronal depolarization and cell death occurs because the metabolic crisis prevents ATP production required for glutamate reuptake, causing excessive glutamate accumulation in the synapse and overstimulation of postsynaptic neurons. Therefore, excitotoxicity increases, rather than decreased calcium buffering or enhanced inhibition, leading to neuronal damage.

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