Molecular mechanisms of rapid-acting antidepressants: New perspectives for developing antidepressants
Pharmacological Research June 26, 2023 Tao Chen, Ling Cheng, Jingwen Ma et al. 48 citations
Major depressive disorder is a chronic relapsing condition. Conventional antidepressants take weeks to work and are ineffective for many patients. The NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects, not only by blocking postsynaptic NMDA receptors or GABA interneurons but also by affecting AMPA receptors, adenosine A1 receptors, and L-type calcium channels. The 5-HT2A receptor agonist psilocybin has also shown potential for rapid antidepressant effects in mouse models and clinical studies. This review examines new pharmacological targets of emerging rapid-acting antidepressants like ketamine and hallucinogens (e.g., psilocybin) and discusses possible strategies for future antidepressant research.