title: Mechanism of action of ketamine.
abstract: Ketamine induces rapid-onset and short-duration improvement in depressive and suicidal symptoms in both treatment-resistant unipolar depression and bipolar depression, and also reduces chronic pain after short intravenous infusions. In order to develop long-acting oral agents with the same clinical effects, the pharmacologic mechanism of action must be understood, and the leading hypotheses are discussed here.
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stahl
mesh_terms: D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D007649:Ketamine