In a mouse model of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by inhaled lipopolysaccharide, esketamine treatment reduced lung damage, improved pulmonary vascular permeability, and suppressed inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The drug activated mitophagy through the ULK1/FUNDC1 signaling pathway. These results suggest esketamine has therapeutic potential for ARDS.
A systematic review compared resting-state cerebral blood flow patterns in first-episode psychosis (FEP), acute cannabinoid intoxication, and acute opioid intoxication. The evidence was highly conflicting within each condition, but some consistent findings emerged: both positive symptoms of FEP and depersonalization after cannabis administration were linked to increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, a key region of the default mode network. The review included 22 studies with 279 FEP participants or controls, 315 participants receiving cannabinoids, and 113 receiving opioids.
A review suggests that amphetamine and phencyclidine alter the expression of genes related to neurotransmitter systems (dopamine, glutamic acid), transcription factors, cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell adhesion, and synapses in animal models. These changes in gene expression may help identify candidate genes for drug psychosis or schizophrenia and lead to the development of novel antipsychotics.