Is the antidepressant effect of ketamine separate from its psychotomimetic effect? A review of rodent models.
Neuropharmacology November 1, 2024 M C Acero-Castillo, M B M Correia, F V Caixeta et al. 7 citations
Ketamine, an NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist, has dose-dependent effects including anesthesia, sedation, and analgesia. At subanesthetic doses, it uniquely both mimics schizophrenia symptoms and serves as the first fast-acting antidepressant. This overview describes ketamine's dual role as an antidepressant and as a pharmacological model of schizophrenia in animals and humans. Its mechanism involves NMDA receptors, triggering immediate and downstream effects. The authors discuss a unified approach linking the glutamatergic hypothesis of schizophrenia to ketamine's success in treating refractory depression.