Ketamine: a paradigm shift for depression research and treatment
J. Krystal, C. Abdallah, G. Sanacora, D. Charney, R. Duman
Neuron March 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.02.005 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
Ketamine represents a new class of rapid-acting antidepressants effective for treatment-resistant mood disorders. Its development grew from a revised understanding of depression's biology. Research into how ketamine works is providing fresh insights into antidepressant mechanisms and challenging established views on the neurobiology of depression. The drug's fast, strong, and lasting effects on depressive symptoms appear ready to change how depression is treated.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Medicine Psychology |
| Citations | 443 |
| Key finding | Ketamine is a rapid-acting antidepressant effective for treatment-resistant mood disorders, and its mechanisms are overturning established views on the neurobiology of depression. |
Abstract
Ketamine is the first exemplar of a rapid-acting antidepressant with efficacy for treatment-resistant symptoms of mood disorders. Its discovery emerged from a reconceptualization of the biology of depression. Neurobiological insights into ketamine efficacy shed new light on the mechanisms underlying antidepressant efficacy. The rapid, profound, and sustainable antidepressant effects of ketamine seem poised to transform the treatment of depression, while mechanisms through which it may work are overturning the received wisdom regarding the underlying neurobiology.