Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
04:48
A High-throughput Calcium-flux Assay to Study NMDA-receptors with Sensitivity to Glycine/D-serine and Glutamate
Published on: July 10, 2018
9.8K
Ketamine: NMDA Receptors and Beyond
Charles F Zorumski1, Yukitoshi Izumi2, Steven Mennerick2
1Department of Psychiatry, Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, and Center for Brain Research in Mood Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110 zorumskc@wustl.edu.
Summary
Ketamine
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, is studied for its effects on psychosis and as a rapid antidepressant.
- Understanding ketamine's molecular, cellular, and network actions is of significant interest.
- Recent research questions the role of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) blockade in ketamine's antidepressant effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the evolving literature on ketamine's psychiatric effects.
- To investigate the role of NMDARs in ketamine's actions.
- To explore the potential for non-NMDAR mechanisms in ketamine's antidepressant activity.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of current research findings.
- Analysis of studies on ketamine's effects on NMDARs.
- Examination of evidence supporting or refuting NMDAR involvement in antidepressant actions.
Main Results:
- Ketamine's effects on N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are well-established.
- Evidence suggests NMDARs may be crucial for certain psychiatric effects of ketamine.
- The primary trigger for ketamine's antidepressant action may not involve NMDAR blockade.
Conclusions:
- Ketamine's complex actions require further investigation at multiple biological levels.
- NMDARs are implicated in some psychiatric effects of ketamine.
- Alternative mechanisms may underlie ketamine's rapid antidepressant properties, offering new therapeutic avenues.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
851
Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
851
01:28Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonists
710
Neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptors are distributed across the GI tract, vagal afferents, and key CNS regions including the central vomiting center and chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) Chemotherapy agents stimulate enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to release large amounts of substance P (SP). SP is a neuropeptide released by specific sensory nerves in response to many different stressors, including those in the GI mucosa affected by chemotherapy. SP binds and activates...
710
01:30Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
4.5K
Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
4.5K
01:17Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
768
Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
768
01:14Antiepileptic Drugs: Glutamate Antagonists
1.1K
Glutamate is a fundamental neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, playing a vital role in neuronal communication and various cognitive processes. Glutamate stands as the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Its presence is crucial for the communication between neurons, underpinning essential processes such as synaptic transmission, neuronal excitability, and plasticity. These functions are vital for higher-order cognitive processes, including learning and memory. The...
1.1K
01:23Local Anesthetics: Mechanism of Action
3.8K
Local anesthetics (LAs) block sensory and motor impulses by inhibiting the sodium channels on the nerve cell membranes. This induces temporary loss of sensation, relieving pain in a specific body area.
Local anesthetics are amphiphilic molecules consisting of a hydrophobic aromatic part linked to a hydrophilic group by an ester or amide linkage. They are weak bases and are usually available as salts, which increases their solubility and stability. Once administered, LAs exist in the body either...
Local anesthetics are amphiphilic molecules consisting of a hydrophobic aromatic part linked to a hydrophilic group by an ester or amide linkage. They are weak bases and are usually available as salts, which increases their solubility and stability. Once administered, LAs exist in the body either...
3.8K