Conformation-selective nucleic acid inhibitors of AMPA glutamate receptors

1. A synthetic nucleic acid that binds to an open-channel conformation of a glutamate ion channel receptor, said nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.

2. The synthetic nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid is RNA.

3. The synthetic nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid contains between 50 and 110 nucleotides.

4. The synthetic nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid contains between 56 and 100 nucleotides.

5. The synthetic nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid contains one or more chemically modified nucleotides.

6. The synthetic nucleic acid of claim 1 wherein the one or more chemically modified nucleotides has a 2′ fluoro substituent.

7. The synthetic nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid inhibits glutamate receptor function.

8. The synthetic nucleic acid of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid has a K I <1 μM.

9. The nucleic acid of claim 1 wherein the glutamate receptor is of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) subtype.

10. A method of inhibiting the function of a glutamate receptor comprising contacting said receptor with the nucleic acid of claim 1 .

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the glutamate receptor is of the AMPA subtype.

12. A method of inhibiting a glutamate receptor comprising contacting said receptor with the nucleic acid of claim 1 .

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the glutamate receptor is of the AMPA subtype.

14. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a nucleic acid according to claim 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

15. An isolated DNA that codes for an RNA wherein the RNA comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.