Gene profiling identifies commonalities in neuronal pathways in excitotoxicity: Evidence favouring cell cycle re-activation in concert with oxidative stress

► Gene activation is profiled in neurons treated with ionotropic l-glutamate agonists. ► Common profiles in excitotoxicity show pivotal roles for NMDA and kainate receptors. ► Aberrant calcium ion homeostasis occurs with organelle stress and death signalling. ► Functional annotation revealed oxidative stress and major cell cycle re-activation. ► The latter downstream targets fulfill the “two-hit” hypothesis of neurodegeneration.