Abstract
Ketamine’s antidepressant effects have variously been attributed to its wide-acting N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonism, its high-affinity for the NMDA receptor (Sanacora et al., 2008), and its trapping mechanism of blockade (Autry et al., 2011; Duman et al., 2016; Zarate et al., 2013). Several novel agents are being developed and tested that attempt to maintain ketamine’s antidepressant efficacy while minimizing its side effects, particularly its psychotomimetic properties and abuse potential.
Lepow, L., Luckenbaugh, D. A., Park, L., Henter, I. D., & Zarate, C. A. (2017). Case series: Antidepressant effects of low-affinity and low-trapping NMDA receptor antagonists did not predict response to ketamine in seven subjects. Journal of psychiatric research, 86, 55-57. 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2016.10.023
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