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In Vitro Transcription Assays and Their Application in Drug Discovery
Published on: September 20, 2016
The influence of ketamine on drug discovery in depression
Christoph Kraus1, Daniel Wasserman1, Ioline D Henter1
1Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, USA.
Abstract:
Recent research demonstrating that the glutamatergic modulator ketamine has rapid, robust, and sustained antidepressant effects has been a turning point in drug discovery for depression. The recent FDA approval of esketamine for adults with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) has further underscored the relevance of this agent in spurring investigation into novel and mechanistically distinct agents for use in depression. Over the past two decades, ketamine research has ushered in a new wave of studies seeking to not only identify its mechanism of action but also to examine the antidepressant potential of novel or repurposed agents. This article reviews the approaches that have proven particularly fruitful for the field of neuropsychiatry.
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