Where do we go next in antidepressant drug discovery? A new generation of antidepressants: a pivotal role of AMPA receptor potentiation and mGlu2/3 receptor antagonism
Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery August 8, 2022 Andrzej Pilc, Agata Machaczka, Paweł Kawalec et al. 20 citations
A new generation of antidepressant drugs is emerging that works faster and helps patients who do not respond to current treatments. Unlike standard antidepressants that take weeks to work, these compounds—including ketamine, psilocybin, and scopolamine—can produce rapid effects, often after a single dose, and their benefits outlast the drug's presence in the brain. Their mechanism involves enhancing AMPA receptor function and antagonizing mGlu2/3 receptors, pointing to a strong glutamatergic component. Based on accumulating preclinical and clinical data, new drug approvals are expected soon.