To determine whether Ca signaling molecules mediate NMDA-induced neurotoxicity in p50-deficient mice, the neuroprotective effects of chemical reagents are examined, which act on the Ca-signaling pathway including CaN activation, on NMDA-induced RGC death. The p50-deficient mice at 2 months of age, showing normal RGC survival, undergo intraperitoneal pretreatments with a NMDA antagonist, MK801 or Memantine; calcium blocker, Lomerizine; and CaN inhibitor, Tacrolimus, daily for 1 week before the injection of 5 nM NMDA. The chronic administration of Lomerizine or Tacrolimus to KO mice for 6 months results in an increase in surviving RGC numbers (p<0.0001). Lomerizine (KB-2796; 0.3 and 1 mg/kg, i.v.) dose-dependently increases cerebral blood flow significantly at 30 min and 15 min, respectively, after its administration. Lomerizine (1 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly attenuates the expression of c-Fos-like immunoreactivity in the ipsilateral frontoparietal cortex.