title: The antidepressant effect of ketamine is not associated with changes in occipital amino acid neurotransmitter content as measured by [(1)H]-MRS.
abstract: The NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine can induce a rapid improvement in depressive symptoms that often endures for days after a single intravenous dose. The pharmacodynamic basis for this effect is poorly understood. Using a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ([(1)H]-MRS) method that previously detected a normalization of amino acid neurotransmitter (AANt) content after chronic treatment with conventional antidepressant treatments, we examined whether the acute action of ketamine is associated with alterations in AANt content as well. Ten subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) received saline, then ketamine in a fixed order, one week apart, under single-blind conditions. Each infusion was associated with three [(1)H] MRS scans (baseline, 3h and 48 h post-infusion) that measured glutamate, GABA and glutamine within the occipital cortex. Rating scales were administered before, during and after each infusion. The rapid (1h) and sustained (at least 7 days) antidepressant effect we observed after ketamine infusion was not associated with either baseline measures of, or changes in, occipital AANt content. Dissociative symptoms were not correlated with changes in depression scores. While our results indicate that changes in occipital AANt content are not a correlate of ketamine's antidepressant action, this may only apply to the regional and temporal windows of our MRS measurements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Gerald W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Valentine
authors.forename: Graeme F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Rosane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: Madonna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fasula
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watzl
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pittman
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Krystal
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanacora
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011522:Protons; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011522:Protons; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D007649:Ketamine