NMDA ANTAGONIST

RFQ Description

A single dose of the NMDA antagonist ketamine in male Wistar rats interferes with the induction of behavioral despair for up to 10 days after its administration. Additionally, repeated administration of different classes of antidepressants in a time frame consistent with the delayed therapeutic effects brings about alterations in the expression of NMDA subunit mRNA and radioligand binding to these receptors in regions of the brain implicated in the pathophysiology of depression.Several lines of evidence also suggests that dysfunction of the glutamatergic system may play an important role in the pathophysiology of depression. Notably, a recent study by Sanacora et al. showed glutamate levels in the occipital cortex to be significantly elevated, in 29 medication-free subjects with unipolar major depression, as compared to 28 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Together, these data support the hypothesis of regional alterations in glutamatergic signaling in mood disorders. Finally, in clinical trials, the glutamatergic modulators lamotrigine and riluzole (both inhibitors of glutamate release) were found to have antidepressant properties.Ketamine has been used in the treatment of breakthrough pain (BTP) in chronic pain patients. In such patients, 10-50 mg of ketamine has been administered. The effect of that administration of ketamine was that there was a lower BTP in patients that received ketamine as opposed to placebo. There were very few side effects with the medication. ketaset, ketamine, 1867-66-9 ketaset