title: Rapid-onset antidepressant action of ketamine: potential revolution in understanding and future pharmacologic treatment of depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current pharmacotherapeutic treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) generally takes weeks to be effective. As the molecular action of these drugs is immediate, the mechanistic basis for this lag is unclear. A drug that has a more rapid onset of action would be a major therapeutic advance and also be a useful comparator to provide valuable mechanistic insight into the disorder and its treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recent evidence suggests that ketamine produces rapid-onset antidepressant action. Important questions are as follows: is it specific or coincidental to other effects; is there a dose-response relationship; and is the mechanism related to that of current antidepressants. NMDA receptor antagonism is unlikely the explanation for ketamine's antidepressant action.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is not an exaggeration to state that the new findings, if validated, might produce a revolution in understanding and treating depressive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Temple University School of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Drewniany
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nemat Gorgani
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sperry
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Raffa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D007649:Ketamine
keywords: antidepressant; ketamine; major depressive disorder (MDD); mechanism of action