Antidepressant effects of esketamine via the BDNF/AKT/mTOR pathway in mice with postpartum depression and their offspring.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry June 8, 2024 Han Qin, Miao Yu, Nianjiao Han et al. 27 citations
Esketamine, a drug approved for treatment-resistant depression, may also treat postpartum depression (PPD) and reduce depression risk in offspring. In a mouse model of chronic unpredictable mild stress during pregnancy, both mothers with PPD and their adult offspring showed anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Injecting esketamine into postpartum mice improved these behaviors: it enhanced exploration in unfamiliar environments, increased preference for sucrose, and restored impaired BDNF/AKT/mTOR signaling in the frontal lobe and hippocampus. The findings suggest esketamine has potential for treating PPD and lowering the incidence of depression in the next generation.