Role of L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway in the antidepressant effects of ketamine
Zhonghua xingwei yixue yu naokexue zazhi September 20, 2012 Guang-Fen Zhang, Nan Wang, Jinyun Shi et al.
In rats subjected to the forced swimming test, ketamine at 10 mg/kg reduced immobility time, an indicator of antidepressant-like effect, and lowered hippocampal nitric oxide (NO) levels. The NO precursor L-arginine increased NO and blocked ketamine's behavioral effect, while the NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME enhanced the effect of a low ketamine dose (3 mg/kg) and also reduced NO. These findings suggest that ketamine's antidepressant action involves suppression of the L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway.