[ad_1]
Effective treatment of clinical depression remains a major mental health problem, with approximately 30% of patients not responding to any of the available treatments. Researchers at the University of Maryland's Faculty of Medicine (UMSOM) have discovered an essential receptor called mGlu2, essential for the mechanism of fast-acting anti-depressants such as ketamine for the treatment of depression.
This discovery on the functioning of this type of receptor in the brain with fast acting antidepressants is a crucial finding in the treatment of depression, as existing treatments may take weeks to become effective. A single dose of ketamine less than the amount needed to induce anesthesia within 24 hours may relieve depression in some treatment-resistant patients.
Todd Gould, MD, an badociate professor in the Department of Psychiatry, in collaboration with researchers at the National Institutes of Health's intramural research program, found that this particular type of glutamate receptor interacted with the mechanism of ketamine.
"Understanding the neurological response to antidepressants such as ketamine helps us understand depression better and better treat this serious disease," said Dr. Gould.
The effects of ketamine can last up to a few weeks. And even though it is a quick-acting treatment for depression, it is not an ideal treatment because it can alter sensory perception and is at high risk of abuse. There is therefore an urgent need to identify the mechanisms by which ketamine mitigates its antidepressant effects in order to help identify alternative drugs that more specifically improve the suppressed brain pathway in depressed patients.
Receivers needed
Dr. Gould's research on mice has shown that the mGlu2 receptor is necessary for the antidepressant activity of ketamine and the metabolite of ketamine. The researchers were able to discover the important role that this receptor plays in the effectiveness of ketamine in suppressing the gene for this receptor in mice, which blocked the antidepressant effects of a fast-acting treatment. In addition, Dr. Gould's research has shown that an increase in a particular form of brain activity, measured by a quantitative EEG, can be used as an indicator of the targeted activity of the patient. 39, rapid-acting antidepressants.
The researchers used mice to determine that the mechanism of action of (2R, 6R) -HNK involved mGlu2 receptors. Various experimental strategies have been applied, including pharmacological manipulation of mGlu2 activity, genetic inactivation of the gene encoding mGlu2, behavioral tests, and cortical EEG measurements.
"Having a better understanding of the brain's response to ketamine is a critical avenue for advancing the treatment of depression," said E. Albert Reece, Dean of UMSOM, MD, Ph.D., MBA, who is also Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs Maryland and Distinguished Professor John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers.
Source of the story:
Material provided by University of Maryland School of Medicine. Note: Content can be changed for style and length.
Source link
