A Northwestern Medicine study has revealed how ketamine provides both immediate and lasting antidepressant effects, involving the activation and increase of new neurons. This discovery opens the door to developing non-toxic treatments that mimic ketamine’s benefits without its side effects, marking a significant advancement in depression therapy. Credit: SciTechDaily.
Ketamine differs from most antidepressants because it produces antidepressant effects within hours instead of weeks like most other medications. This is enormously helpful for patients, potentially reducing their risk of death and suicide in the short term. But the drug’s toxic side effects limit its longer-term use.
“To make an analogy, think of the young neurons as ‘teenagers’ who are texting their friends. Increasing the number of text messages spreads information rapidly — that is how ketamine acts rapidly. Increasing the number of teenagers also increases the spread of information, but it takes time for them to be born and mature — that is why there are delayed but longer-term effects.
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