Brittany A. Jaso

2 papers in the library · 231 citations · publishing 2016-2018

Papers

Features of Dissociation Differentially Predict Antidepressant Response to Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression

Journal of Affective Disorders February 17, 2018 M. Niciu, Bridget J. Shovestul, Brittany A. Jaso et al. 134 citations

Depersonalization—a feeling of detachment from one's own body or thoughts—was the dissociative symptom most strongly linked to ketamine's antidepressant effect in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Analyzing data from 126 patients with major depressive or bipolar disorder who received a single ketamine infusion, researchers found that higher scores on the depersonalization subscale of the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale consistently predicted greater improvement in depression ratings across multiple time points. Derealization (feeling the world is unreal) showed a weaker and less consistent association, while amnesia was unrelated to antidepressant response. The finding suggests that depersonalization and antidepressant response may share neurobiological mechanisms, though off-target effects cannot be ruled out.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.02.049 Full text Medicine Psychology

Therapeutic Modulation of Glutamate Receptors in Major Depressive Disorder

Current Neuropharmacology March 25, 2016 Brittany A. Jaso, Mark J. Niciu, Nicolas D. Iadarola et al. 97 citations

Current antidepressants for major depressive disorder work through monoaminergic mechanisms and have a delayed onset and limited efficacy. Glutamate, the main excitatory neurotransmitter, is involved in depression's pathophysiology. Since ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, showed rapid antidepressant effects in 2000, other NMDA receptor antagonists have been studied but with more modest effects. Some have advantages like oral administration and fewer side effects. This article reviews clinical evidence for glutamate receptor modulators: non-competitive NMDA antagonists (ketamine, memantine, dextromethorphan, AZD6765), NR2B-subunit antagonists (traxoprodil, MK-0657), glycine-site partial agonists (D-cycloserine, GLYX-13), and metabotropic glutamate receptor modulators (AZD2066, basimglurant). Preclinical targets like AMPA agonists and mGluR2/3 negative allosteric modulators are also discussed.

DOI: 10.2174/1570159x14666160321123221 Full text Nmda receptor Antidepressant Pharmacology Metabotropic glutamate receptor +6