Examining memory reconsolidation as a mechanism of nitrous oxide's antidepressant action.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology March 1, 2025 Ella Williams, Ursule Taujanskaite, Sunjeev K Kamboj et al.
Nitrous oxide (N2O), a gas used for sedation and pain relief, shows rapid-acting antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression. Subanaesthetic doses (50%) can disrupt the reconsolidation of maladaptive memories in healthy people and across disorders. Negative memory biases contribute to depression, and disrupting affective memory reconsolidation may be how N2O works. This narrative review introduces evidence for N2O's antidepressant profile, evaluates its clinical use versus other treatments, and proposes a memory-based mechanism of action.