In a mouse model of depression induced by chronic social defeat stress, a single dose of either ketamine or psilocybin reversed social avoidance within 24 hours, with effects lasting up to 14 days. In contrast, the SSRI fluoxetine showed no effect after a single dose or 7 days of repeated administration; antidepressant-like effects only appeared after 14 days of continuous treatment. These results mirror clinical patterns, where traditional SSRIs require weeks to work, while ketamine and psilocybin produce rapid and sustained effects. The findings highlight the potential of fast-acting agents as alternatives for treating major depressive disorder.
In a mouse model of depression using chronic social defeat stress, a single dose of either ketamine or psilocybin reversed social avoidance behavior within 24 hours, with effects lasting up to 14 days. By contrast, the SSRI fluoxetine showed no effect after a single dose or after 7 days of daily treatment; antidepressant-like effects appeared only after 14 days of continuous administration. These rapid and sustained effects of ketamine and psilocybin mirror clinical patterns and highlight their potential as fast-acting alternatives to conventional antidepressants like fluoxetine.