Used in neuroscience research to study NMDA receptor function, which plays a key role in synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. Acts as an agonist at the NMDA receptor, helping scientists investigate excitatory neurotransmission and neuronal signaling pathways. Also utilized in studies related to neurotoxicity and neurodegenerative diseases due to its ability to induce excitatory effects in neurons. Its stereospecificity makes it valuable for probing receptor selectivity and mechanism of action in brain tissue models.