Excitotoxins are a class of substances that cause neurons to fire spasmodically. This eventually burns out, or damages, the neurons through overactivity.
Common excitotoxins include monosodium glutatmate (MSG) and aspartame.
Excitotoxicity has been found to be involved in migraines, hypoglycemia, spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as Multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, Alcoholism and Huntington's disease.