Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents

Atypical antidepressants, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), trazodone (Desyrel), and vilazodone (Viibryd), offer unique mechanisms of action. Bupropion weakly inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, aiding depression treatment and smoking cessation, with a low risk of sexual dysfunction. Mirtazapine enhances serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission, leading to sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. As a result, it helps treat...

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function. They...

Antidepressant Drugs: Overview

Antidepressant Drugs: Overview

Antidepressant drugs are a class of medications primarily used for treating various mood disorders, including major depression, anxiety disorders, and other related conditions. These medicines work by modulating the neurotransmitter balance within the brain, alleviating depressive symptoms. Antidepressants can be broadly categorized into several groups according to their mechanism of action and chemical structure: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Serotonin-Norepinephrine...

Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs

Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs

Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs), including Desipramine (Norpramin), Imipramine (Tofranil), Clomipramine (Anafranil), and Amitriptyline (Elavil), inhibit serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake and also block other receptors. They are used for depression, pain conditions, and insomnia. Common adverse effects include anticholinergic effects, sedation, orthostatic hypotension, and weight gain. They have a narrow therapeutic window and so require plasma-level monitoring. Abrupt discontinuation can...

Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment

Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment

Alzheimer's Disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is pathologically identified by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein. AD pharmacotherapy aims to manage cognitive symptoms, delay disease progression, and treat behavioral symptoms. The treatment is primarily symptomatic and palliative, with no definitive disease-modifying therapy available. Cholinesterase inhibitors, including donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Razadyne), are...

Long-term Depression

Long-term Depression

Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Interactions between SSR504734, a selective glycine transporter type 1 inhibitor, and antiseizure drugs: pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies in mice.

Neuropharmacology·2026

Same author

Clozapine levels in inpatients with schizophrenia are not a predictor of rehospitalization: a naturalistic retrospective study.

Pharmacological reports : PR·2026

Same author

Novel 3-Methoxypropanamide Derivatives as Potential Antiseizure and Antinociceptive Agents: Experimental Evidence from In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

Journal of medicinal chemistry·2026

Same author

Plant-Derived Spinacetin Mitigates Cyclophosphamide-Induced Hemorrhagic Cystitis in Rats.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026

Same author

Corrigendum to Combined olfactory bulbectomy and zinc deficiency induce complex neurobiological alterations resistant to classical antidepressant treatments: Insights from proteomic and neurochemical analyses' [Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 145 (2026) 111643].

Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry·2026

Same author

Effect of Packaging Method (Under Vacuum vs. Air) on Quality and Shelf Life of Carp (<i>Cyprinus caprio</i>) Fish Balls Stored at Fridge for 14 Days.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

A High-throughput Calcium-flux Assay to Study NMDA-receptors with Sensitivity to Glycine/D-serine and Glutamate

A High-throughput Calcium-flux Assay to Study NMDA-receptors with Sensitivity to Glycine/D-serine and Glutamate

Published on: July 10, 2018

Investigational NMDA receptor modulators for depression.

Bernadeta Szewczyk¹, Agnieszka Pałucha-Poniewiera, Ewa Poleszak

¹Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Neurobiology, Smętna 12, PL 31-343 Kraków, Poland.

Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs

|November 22, 2011

Summary

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists show promise for depression treatment. While some NMDA receptor modulators are effective in animals, human trials show mixed results, with ketamine offering rapid effects but limited by side effects.

More Related Videos

Behavioral and Network Pharmacology-Based Analyses for the Traditional Mongolian Medicine Zadi-5 in a Rat Model of Depression

Behavioral and Network Pharmacology-Based Analyses for the Traditional Mongolian Medicine Zadi-5 in a Rat Model of Depression

Published on: February 24, 2023

Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model

Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model

Published on: June 6, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 27, 2026

A High-throughput Calcium-flux Assay to Study NMDA-receptors with Sensitivity to Glycine/D-serine and Glutamate

A High-throughput Calcium-flux Assay to Study NMDA-receptors with Sensitivity to Glycine/D-serine and Glutamate

Published on: July 10, 2018

Behavioral and Network Pharmacology-Based Analyses for the Traditional Mongolian Medicine Zadi-5 in a Rat Model of Depression

Behavioral and Network Pharmacology-Based Analyses for the Traditional Mongolian Medicine Zadi-5 in a Rat Model of Depression

Published on: February 24, 2023

Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model

Network Pharmacology and Validation of the Antidepressant Mechanisms of Qiangzhifang in a Chronic Restraint Stress-induced Depression Rat Model

Published on: June 6, 2025

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Pharmacology
Psychiatry

Background:

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor's role in depression has been studied preclinically for years.
Clinical data increasingly supports NMDA receptor antagonists as standalone or adjunctive depression therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

To review clinical data on established and novel NMDA receptor antagonists/modulators.
To examine the mechanisms of action for these compounds in treating depression.

Main Methods:

Focus on clinical trial data for NMDA receptor antagonists and modulators.
Analysis of preclinical and clinical studies on antidepressant efficacy.

Main Results:

Many NMDA receptor modulators effective in animal models lack efficacy in humans.
Ketamine demonstrates reproducible antidepressant effects but has limitations due to adverse effects.

Conclusions:

Ketamine serves as a crucial tool for understanding rapid antidepressant action mechanisms.
NMDA receptor modulators are a promising area for developing novel depression therapeutics.