title: A possible mechanism of the nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum 5-HT1B receptors underlying the antidepressant action of ketamine: a PET study with macaques.
abstract: Ketamine is a unique anesthetic reagent known to produce various psychotic symptoms. Ketamine has recently been reported to elicit a long-lasting antidepressant effect in patients with major depression. Although recent studies provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of the effects of ketamine, the antidepressant mechanism has not been fully elucidated. To understand the involvement of the brain serotonergic system in the actions of ketamine, we performed a positron emission tomography (PET) study on non-human primates. Four rhesus monkeys underwent PET studies with two serotonin (5-HT)-related PET radioligands, [(11)C]AZ10419369 and [(11)C]DASB, which are highly selective for the 5-HT1B receptor and serotonin transporter (SERT), respectively. Voxel-based analysis using standardized brain images revealed that ketamine administration significantly increased 5-HT1B receptor binding in the nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum, whereas it significantly reduced SERT binding in these brain regions. Fenfluramine, a 5-HT releaser, significantly decreased 5-HT1B receptor binding, but no additional effect was observed when it was administered with ketamine. Furthermore, pretreatment with 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline (NBQX), a potent antagonist of the glutamate α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor, blocked the action of ketamine on the 5-HT1B receptor but not SERT binding. This indicates the involvement of AMPA receptor activation in ketamine-induced alterations of 5-HT1B receptor binding. Because NBQX is known to block the antidepressant effect of ketamine in rodents, alterations in the serotonergic neurotransmission, particularly upregulation of postsynaptic 5-HT1B receptors in the nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum may be critically involved in the antidepressant action of ketamine.
authors.affiliation: Bio-Function Imaging Team, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.affiliation: Bio-Function Imaging Team, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.affiliation: Bio-Function Imaging Team, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizuma
authors.affiliation: Labelling Chemistry Team, Division of Bio-function Dynamics Imaging, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurai
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Finnema
authors.affiliation: Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Halldin
authors.affiliation: Labelling Chemistry Team, Division of Bio-function Dynamics Imaging, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.affiliation: Bio-Function Imaging Team, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Onoe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066187:Basal Forebrain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008251:Macaca; D008297:Male; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D044302:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B / Q000378:metabolism*; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D011810:Quinoxalines; D044302:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C062865:2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline; D005277:Fenfluramine; D007649:Ketamine