title: How does ketamine elicit a rapid antidepressant response?
abstract: A single sub-psychotomimetic dose of ketamine, an ionotropic glutamatergic n-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, produces a fast-acting antidepressant response in patients suffering from major depressive disorder. Depressed patients report alleviation of core symptoms within 2 h of a single low-dose intravenous infusion of ketamine with effects lasting up to 2 weeks. The rapidity of ketamine action implies that major symptoms of depression can be alleviated without substantial structural plasticity or circuit rewiring. Therefore, the ability of ketamine to exert a rapid effect provides a unique opportunity to elucidate the types of acute synaptic plasticity changes that can be recruited to counter depression symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA; Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA. Electronic address: ege.kavalali@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Ege T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Kavalali
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9111, USA. Electronic address: lisa.monteggia@utsouthwestern.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Monteggia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D007649:Ketamine