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Loan Nguyen TM, Guilloux JP, Defaix C, Mendez-David I, Etting I, Alvarez JC, McGowan JC, Highland JN, Zanos P, Lovett J, Moaddel R, Corruble E, David DJ, Gould TD, Denny CA, Gardier AM. Ketamine metabolism via hepatic CYP450 isoforms contributes to its sustained antidepressant actions. Neuropharmacology 2024; 258:110065. [PMID: 39004413 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
(R,S)-ketamine (ketamine) has rapid and sustained antidepressant (AD) efficacy at sub-anesthetic doses in depressed patients. A metabolite of ketamine, including (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine ((6)-HNKs) has been reported to exert antidepressant actions in rodent model of anxiety/depression. To further understand the specific role of ketamine's metabolism in the AD actions of the drug, we evaluated the effects of inhibiting hepatic cytochrome P450 enzymes on AD responses. We assessed whether pre-treatment with fluconazole (10 and 20 mg/kg, i. p.) 1 h prior to ketamine or HNKs (10 mg/kg, i. p.) administration would alter behavioral and neurochemical actions of the drugs in male BALB/cJ mice with a highly anxious phenotype. Extracellular microdialysate levels of glutamate and GABA (Gluext, GABAext) were also measured in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Pre-treatment with fluconazole altered the pharmacokinetic profile of ketamine, by increasing both plasma and brain levels of ketamine and (R,S)-norketamine, while robustly reducing those of (6)-HNKs. At 24 h post-injection (t24 h), fluconazole prevented the sustained AD-like response of ketamine responses in the forced swim test and splash test, as well as the enhanced cortical GABA levels produced by ketamine. A single (2R,6R)-HNK administration resulted in prevention of the effects of fluconazole on the antidepressant-like activity of ketamine in mice. Overall, these findings are consistent with an essential contribution of (6)-HNK to the sustained antidepressant-like effects of ketamine and suggest potential interactions between pharmacological CYPIs and ketamine during antidepressant treatment in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Mai Loan Nguyen
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm UMR 1018, CESP, MOODS Team, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Guilloux
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm UMR 1018, CESP, MOODS Team, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Céline Defaix
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm UMR 1018, CESP, MOODS Team, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Indira Mendez-David
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm UMR 1018, CESP, MOODS Team, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Isabelle Etting
- Service de Pharmacologie-Toxicologie, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaires AP-HP, Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm U-1018, CESP, MOODS Team, 92380 Garches, France
| | - Jean-Claude Alvarez
- Service de Pharmacologie-Toxicologie, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaires AP-HP, Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm U-1018, CESP, MOODS Team, 92380 Garches, France
| | - Josephine C McGowan
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Division of Systems Neuroscience, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH) /New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, NY, 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Jaclyn N Highland
- Departments of Psychiatry, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Panos Zanos
- Departments of Psychiatry, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Pharmacology, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Physiology, Baltimore, MD, USA; Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, 2109, Cyprus
| | - Jacqueline Lovett
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ruin Moaddel
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Emmanuelle Corruble
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Médecine, Inserm UMR 1018, CESP, MOODS Team, 94270 Bicêtre Hospital, 94270 Le Kremin-Bicêtre, France; Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie de Bicêtre, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Saclay, Hôpital de Bicêtre, 94270 Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Denis J David
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm UMR 1018, CESP, MOODS Team, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Todd D Gould
- Departments of Psychiatry, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Pharmacology, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Physiology, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Neurobiology, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA; Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christine A Denny
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Division of Systems Neuroscience, Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH) /New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Alain M Gardier
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm UMR 1018, CESP, MOODS Team, 91400 Orsay, France.
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Juneja K, Afroze S, Goti Z, Sahu S, Asawa S, Bhuchakra HP, Natarajan B. Beyond therapeutic potential: a systematic investigation of ketamine misuse in patients with depressive disorders. DISCOVER MENTAL HEALTH 2024; 4:23. [PMID: 38951348 PMCID: PMC11217219 DOI: 10.1007/s44192-024-00077-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Ketamine, a pharmacological agent that acts as an antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, has garnered considerable interest because of its notable and expeditious antidepressant properties observed in individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) who exhibit resistance to conventional therapeutic interventions. A comprehensive and rigorous systematic review was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of ketamine abuse undergoing ketamine treatment for depressive disorders. A comprehensive search was conducted across the electronic databases to identify pertinent studies published between 2021 and 2023. The present investigation incorporated a comprehensive range of studies encompassing the abuse or misuse of ketamine, including case reports, observational studies, and clinical trials. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted in accordance with predetermined criteria. The findings of this systematic review demonstrate the importance of monitoring and addressing ketamine abuse in patients receiving ketamine treatment for depressive disorders like MDD. The wide range of reported prevalence rates highlights the need for standardized criteria and measures for defining and assessing ketamine abuse. This study presents a significant contribution to the field by introducing a novel screening questionnaire and assessment algorithm designed to identify and evaluate ketamine misuse among major depressive disorder (MDD) patients undergoing ketamine treatment. This innovative tool holds the potential to enhance clinical practice by providing healthcare professionals with a standardized approach to promptly detect and address ketamine misuse. The integration of this screening tool into routine care protocols can facilitate more effective monitoring and management of ketamine misuse in this population, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabah Afroze
- Shadan Hospital and Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India
| | - Zeel Goti
- Government Medical College, Surat, India
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Vos CF, Hemminga WL, Aarnoutse RE, Ruhé HG. Increasing the bioavailability of oral esketamine by a single dose of cobicistat: A case study. Pharmacotherapy 2024; 44:480-484. [PMID: 38819020 DOI: 10.1002/phar.2942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundIntranasal esketamine is an approved drug for treatment‐resistant depression (TRD); however, it is costly and may result in specific adverse effects. In this single case study, we explored if oral esketamine can be a suitable alternative.MethodsIn collaboration with a 39‐year‐old female with TRD, we compared plasma concentration curves of intranasal (84 mg) and oral (1, 2 and 4 mg/kg) esketamine. Because oral esketamine has a relatively low bioavailability, it results in a different ratio between esketamine and its primary metabolite noresketamine. To increase the bioavailability of oral esketamine, we co‐administered a single dose of the cytochrome P‐450 (CYP) 3A4 inhibitor cobicistat (150 mg).ResultsFor all doses administered, oral esketamine resulted in lower esketamine but higher noresketamine peak plasma concentrations compared with intranasal treatment. Using oral esketamine it was not possible to generate a similar esketamine plasma concentration curve as with the intranasal treatment, except when combined with cobicistat (esketamine 2 mg/kg plus cobicistat 150 mg).ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that cobicistat effectively increases the bioavailability of oral esketamine. Further research is required in a larger population, especially to investigate the clinical benefit of cobicistat as a booster drug for oral esketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelis F Vos
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wietske L Hemminga
- Department of Pharmacy, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob E Aarnoutse
- Department of Pharmacy, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Henricus G Ruhé
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Więdłocha M, Marcinowicz P, Komarnicki J, Tobiaszewska M, Dębowska W, Dębowska M, Szulc A. Depression with comorbid borderline personality disorder - could ketamine be a treatment catalyst? Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1398859. [PMID: 38742125 PMCID: PMC11089186 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1398859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is diagnosed in 10-30% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and the frequency of MDD among individuals with BPD reaches over 80%. The comorbidity of MDD and BPD is associated with more severe depressive symptoms and functional impairment, higher risk of treatment resistance and increased suicidality. The effectiveness of ketamine usage in treatment resistant depression (TRD) has been demonstrated in numerous studies. In most of these studies, individuals with BPD were not excluded, thus given the high co-occurrence of these disorders, it is possible that the beneficial effects of ketamine also extend to the subpopulation with comorbid TRD and BPD. However, no protocols were developed that would account for comorbidity. Moreover, psychotherapeutic interventions, which may be crucial for achieving a lasting therapeutic effect in TRD and BPD comorbidity, were not included. In the article, we discuss the results of a small number of existing studies and case reports on the use of ketamine in depressive disorders with comorbid BPD. We elucidate how, at the molecular and brain network levels, ketamine can impact the neurobiology and symptoms of BPD. Furthermore, we explore whether ketamine-induced neuroplasticity, augmented by psychotherapy, could be of use in alleviating core BPD-related symptoms such as emotional dysregulation, self-identity disturbances and self-harming behaviors. We also discuss the potential of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) in BPD treatment. As there is no standard approach to the application of ketamine or KAP in individuals with comorbid TRD and BPD, we consider further research in the field as imperative. The priorities should include development of dedicated protocols, distinguishing subpopulations that may benefit most from such treatment and investigating factors that may influence its effectiveness and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Więdłocha
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
| | - Piotr Marcinowicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
| | - Jan Komarnicki
- Leszek Giec Upper-Silesian Medical Centre of the Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | | | - Weronika Dębowska
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
| | - Marta Dębowska
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
| | - Agata Szulc
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
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Zhou L, Duan J. The role of NMDARs in the anesthetic and antidepressant effects of ketamine. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14464. [PMID: 37680076 PMCID: PMC11017467 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a phencyclidine (PCP) analog, ketamine can generate rapid-onset and substantial anesthetic effects. Contrary to traditional anesthetics, ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic and can induce loss of consciousness in patients. Recently, the subanaesthetic dose of ketamine was found to produce rapid-onset and lasting antidepressant effects. AIM However, how different concentrations of ketamine can induce diverse actions remains unclear. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms underlying the NMDAR-mediated anesthetic and antidepressant effects of ketamine are not fully understood. METHOD In this review, we have introduced ketamine and its metabolism, summarized recent advances in the molecular mechanisms underlying NMDAR inhibition in the anesthetic and antidepressant effects of ketamine, explored the possible functions of NMDAR subunits in the effects of ketamine, and discussed the future directions of ketamine-based anesthetic and antidepressant drugs. RESULT Both the anesthetic and antidepressant effects of ketamine were thought to be mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) inhibition. CONCLUSION The roles of NMDARs have been extensively studied in the anaesthetic effects of ketamine. However, the roles of NMDARs in antidepressant effects of ketamine are complicated and controversial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmaceutical SciencesSoochow UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Jingjing Duan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Zhongshan School of MedicineSunYat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
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Sajid S, Galfalvy HC, Keilp JG, Burke AK, Mann JJ, Grunebaum MF. Acute Dissociation and Ketamine's Antidepressant and Anti-Suicidal Ideation Effects in a Midazolam-Controlled Trial. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2024; 27:pyae017. [PMID: 38573154 PMCID: PMC11053360 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We sought to explore relationships of acute dissociative effects of intravenous ketamine with change in depression and suicidal ideation and with plasma metabolite levels in a randomized, midazolam-controlled trial. METHODS Data from a completed trial in suicidal, depressed participants (n = 40) randomly assigned to ketamine was used to examine relationships between ketamine treatment-emergent dissociative and psychotomimetic symptoms with pre/post-infusion changes in suicidal ideation and depression severity. Nonparametric correlational statistics were used. These methods were also used to explore associations between dissociative or psychotomimetic symptoms and blood levels of ketamine and metabolites in a subset of participants (n = 28) who provided blood samples immediately post-infusion. RESULTS Neither acute dissociative nor psychotomimetic effects of ketamine were associated with changes in suicidal ideation or depressive symptoms from pre- to post-infusion. Norketamine had a trend-level, moderate inverse correlation with dissociative symptoms on Day 1 post-injection (P = .064; P =.013 removing 1 outlier). Dehydronorketamine correlated with Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale scores at 40 minutes (P = .034), 230 minutes (P = .014), and Day 1 (P = .012). CONCLUSION We did not find evidence that ketamine's acute, transient dissociative, or psychotomimetic effects are associated with its antidepressant or anti-suicidal ideation actions. The correlation of higher plasma norketamine with lower dissociative symptoms on Day 1 post-treatment suggests dissociation may be more an effect of the parent drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumra Sajid
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Hanga C Galfalvy
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - John G Keilp
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ainsley K Burke
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - J John Mann
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michael F Grunebaum
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
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Lewis V, Rurak G, Salmaso N, Aguilar-Valles A. An integrative view on the cell-type-specific mechanisms of ketamine's antidepressant actions. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:195-208. [PMID: 38220554 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Over the past six decades, the use of ketamine has evolved from an anesthetic and recreational drug to the first non-monoaminergic antidepressant approved for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD). Subanesthetic doses of ketamine and its enantiomer (S)-ketamine (esketamine) directly bind to several neurotransmitter receptors [including N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR), κ and μ opioid receptor (KOR and MOR)] widely distributed in the brain and across different cell types, implicating several potential molecular mechanisms underlying the action of ketamine as an antidepressant. This review examines preclinical studies investigating cell-type-specific mechanisms underlying the effects of ketamine on behavior and synapses. Cell-type-specific approaches are crucial for disentangling the critical mechanisms involved in the therapeutic effect of ketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vern Lewis
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Health Sciences Building, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Gareth Rurak
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Health Sciences Building, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Natalina Salmaso
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Health Sciences Building, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Argel Aguilar-Valles
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Health Sciences Building, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada.
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Nunes A, Singh S. A computational model to characterize the time-course of response to rapid antidepressant therapies. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297708. [PMID: 38306352 PMCID: PMC10836665 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Our objective is to propose a method capable of disentangling the magnitude, the speed, and the duration or decay rate of the time course of response to rapid antidepressant therapies. To this end, we introduce a computational model of the time course of response to a single treatment with a rapid antidepressant. Numerical simulation is used to evaluate whether model parameters can be accurately estimated from observed data. Finally, we compare our computational modelling-based approach with linear mixed effects modelling in terms of their ability to detect changes in the magnitude and time-course of response to rapid antidepressant therapies in simulated randomized trials. Simulation experiments show that the parameters of our computational model can be accurately recovered using nonlinear least squares. Parameter estimation accuracy is stable over noise levels reaching as high as 25% of the true antidepressant effect magnitude. Comparison of our approach to mixed effects modelling using simulated randomized controlled trial data demonstrates an inability of linear mixed models to disentangle effect magnitude and time course, while our computational model accurately separates these response components. Our modelling approach may accurately identify the (A) magnitude, (B) speed, and (C) durability or decay rate of response to rapid antidepressant therapies. Future studies should fit this model to data from real clinical trials, and use resulting parameter estimates to uncover predictors and causes of different elements of the temporal course of antidepressant response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Nunes
- Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Selena Singh
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Guhathakurta D, Petrušková A, Akdaş EY, Perelló-Amorós B, Frischknecht R, Anni D, Weiss EM, Walter M, Fejtová A. Hydroxynorketamine, but not ketamine, acts via α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor to control presynaptic function and gene expression. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:47. [PMID: 38253622 PMCID: PMC10803733 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02744-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Ketamine is clinically used fast-acting antidepressant. Its metabolite hydroxynorketamine (HNK) shows a robust antidepressant effect in animal studies. It is unclear, how these chemically distinct compounds converge on similar neuronal effects. While KET acts mostly as N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, the molecular target of HNK remains enigmatic. Here, we show that KET and HNK converge on rapid inhibition of glutamate release by reducing the release competence of synaptic vesicles and induce nuclear translocation of pCREB that controls expression of neuroplasticity genes connected to KET- and HNK-mediated antidepressant action. Ro25-6981, a selective antagonist of GluN2B, mimics effect of KET indicating that GluN2B-containing NMDAR might mediate the presynaptic effect of KET. Selective antagonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) or genetic deletion of Chrna7, its pore-forming subunit, fully abolishes HNK-induced synaptic and nuclear regulations, but leaves KET-dependent cellular effects unaffected. Thus, KET or HNK-induced modulation of synaptic transmission and nuclear translocation of pCREB can be mediated by selective signaling via NMDAR or α7nAChRs, respectively. Due to the rapid metabolism of KET to HNK, it is conceivable that subsequent modulation of glutamatergic and cholinergic neurotransmission affects circuits in a cell-type-specific manner and contributes to the therapeutic potency of KET. This finding promotes further exploration of new combined medications for mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debarpan Guhathakurta
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Aneta Petrušková
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Enes Yağız Akdaş
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Bartomeu Perelló-Amorós
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Renato Frischknecht
- Department of Biology, Animal Physiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Daniela Anni
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria Weiss
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martin Walter
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Anna Fejtová
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
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Chang L, Hashimoto K. Comments to behavioral tests for antidepressant-like actions of (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine by Bonaventura et al. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:3-4. [PMID: 36100667 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01766-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lijia Chang
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan
| | - Kenji Hashimoto
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan.
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11
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Nguyen TML, Jollant F, Tritschler L, Colle R, Corruble E, Gardier AM. [Ketamine and suicidal behavior: Contribution of animal models of aggression-impulsivity to understanding its mechanism of action]. ANNALES PHARMACEUTIQUES FRANÇAISES 2024; 82:3-14. [PMID: 37890717 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharma.2023.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
More than two-thirds of suicides occur during a major depressive episode. Acting out prevention measures and therapeutic options to manage the suicidal crisis are limited. The impulsive-aggressive dimensions are vulnerability factors associated with suicide in patients suffering from a characterized depressive episode: this can be a dimension involved in animals. Impulsive and aggressive rodent models can help analyze, at least in part, the neurobiology of suicide and the beneficial effects of treatments. Ketamine, a glutamatergic antagonist, by rapidly improving the symptoms of depressive episodes, would help reduce suicidal thoughts in the short term. Animal models share with humans impulsive and aggressive endophenotypes modulated by the serotonergic system (5-HTB receptor, MAO-A enzyme), neuroinflammation or the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and stress. Significant effects of ketamine on these endophenotypes remain to be demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Mai Loan Nguyen
- Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, équipe MOODS, faculté de pharmacie, université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Fabrice Jollant
- Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, équipe MOODS, faculté de médecine, université Paris-Saclay, 94270 Le Kremin-Bicêtre, France; Service hospitalo-universitaire de psychiatrie, hôpital de Bicêtre, hôpitaux universitaires Paris-Saclay, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; Pôle de psychiatrie, CHU de Nîmes, Nîmes, France; Département de psychiatrie, Université McGill et Groupe McGill d'études sur le suicide, Montréal, Canada
| | - Laurent Tritschler
- Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, équipe MOODS, faculté de pharmacie, université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Romain Colle
- Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, équipe MOODS, faculté de médecine, université Paris-Saclay, 94270 Le Kremin-Bicêtre, France; Service hospitalo-universitaire de psychiatrie, hôpital de Bicêtre, hôpitaux universitaires Paris-Saclay, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Emmanuelle Corruble
- Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, équipe MOODS, faculté de médecine, université Paris-Saclay, 94270 Le Kremin-Bicêtre, France; Service hospitalo-universitaire de psychiatrie, hôpital de Bicêtre, hôpitaux universitaires Paris-Saclay, Assistance publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Alain M Gardier
- Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, équipe MOODS, faculté de pharmacie, université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France.
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12
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Dutton M, Can AT, Lagopoulos J, Hermens DF. Oral ketamine may offer a solution to the ketamine conundrum. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:2483-2497. [PMID: 37882811 PMCID: PMC10640543 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06480-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Ketamine has received considerable attention for its rapid and robust antidepressant response over the past decade. Current evidence, in clinical populations, predominantly relates to parenterally administered ketamine, which is reported to produce significant undesirable side effects, with additional concerns regarding long-term safety and abuse potential. Attempts to produce a similar drug to ketamine, without the psychotomimetic side effects, have proved elusive. Orally administered ketamine has a different pharmacological profile to parentally administered ketamine, suggesting it may be a viable alternative. Emerging evidence regarding the efficacy and tolerability of oral ketamine suggests that it may be a favourable route of administration, as it appears to obtain similarly beneficial treatment effects, but without the cost and medical resources required in parenteral dosing. The pharmacological effects may be due to the active metabolite norketamine, which has been found to be at substantially higher levels via oral dosing, most likely due to first-pass clearance. Despite bioavailability and peak plasma concentrations both being lower than when administered parenterally, evidence suggests that low-dose oral ketamine is clinically effective in treating pain. This may also be due to the actions of norketamine and therefore, its relevance to the mental health context is explored in this narrative review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Dutton
- Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, 12 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya, QLD, 4575, Australia.
| | - Adem T Can
- Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, 12 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya, QLD, 4575, Australia
| | - Jim Lagopoulos
- Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, 12 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya, QLD, 4575, Australia
| | - Daniel F Hermens
- Thompson Institute, University of the Sunshine Coast, 12 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya, QLD, 4575, Australia
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13
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Guilloux JP, Nguyen TML, Gardier AM. [Ketamine: a neuropsychotropic drug with an innovative mechanism of action]. Biol Aujourdhui 2023; 217:133-144. [PMID: 38018940 DOI: 10.1051/jbio/2023026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Ketamine, a non-competitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate-glutamate receptor (R-NMDA), has a rapid (from 24 h post-dose) and prolonged (up to one week) antidepressant effect in treatment resistant depression and in rodent models of anxiety/depression. Arguments regarding its cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying its antidepressant activity mainly come from animal studies. However, debates still persist on the structural remodeling of frontocortical/hippocampal neurons and the role of excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmitters involved in its behavioral effect. Neurochemical and behavioral changes are maintained 24 h after administration of ketamine, well beyond its plasma elimination half-life. The glutamatergic pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex are primarily implicated in the therapeutic effects of ketamine. Advances in knowledge of the consequences of R-NMDA blockade allowed to specify the underlying mechanisms involving the activation of AMPA glutamate receptors, which triggers a cascade of intracellular events dependent on the mechanistic target of rapamycin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and synaptic protein synthesis facilitating synaptic plasticity (number of dendritic spines, synaptogenesis). This review focuses on abnormalities of neurotransmitter systems involved in major depressive disorders, their potential impact on neural circuitry and beneficial effects of ketamine. Recent preclinical data pave the way for future studies to better clarify the mechanism of action of fast-acting antidepressant drugs for the development of novel, more effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Philippe Guilloux
- Laboratoire de Neuropharmacologie, Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, Équipe MOODS, F-91400 Orsay, France
| | - Thi Mai Loan Nguyen
- Laboratoire de Neuropharmacologie, Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, Équipe MOODS, F-91400 Orsay, France
| | - Alain M Gardier
- Laboratoire de Neuropharmacologie, Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, Équipe MOODS, F-91400 Orsay, France
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14
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Cameron LP, Benetatos J, Lewis V, Bonniwell EM, Jaster AM, Moliner R, Castrén E, McCorvy JD, Palner M, Aguilar-Valles A. Beyond the 5-HT 2A Receptor: Classic and Nonclassic Targets in Psychedelic Drug Action. J Neurosci 2023; 43:7472-7482. [PMID: 37940583 PMCID: PMC10634557 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1384-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, have garnered significant attention in recent years for their potential therapeutic effects and unique mechanisms of action. These compounds exert their primary effects through activating serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, found predominantly in cortical regions. By interacting with these receptors, serotonergic psychedelics induce alterations in perception, cognition, and emotions, leading to the characteristic psychedelic experience. One of the most crucial aspects of serotonergic psychedelics is their ability to promote neuroplasticity, the formation of new neural connections, and rewire neuronal networks. This neuroplasticity is believed to underlie their therapeutic potential for various mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. In this mini-review, we will discuss how the 5-HT2A receptor activation is just one facet of the complex mechanisms of action of serotonergic psychedelics. They also interact with other serotonin receptor subtypes, such as 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptors, and with neurotrophin receptors (e.g., tropomyosin receptor kinase B). These interactions contribute to the complexity of their effects on perception, mood, and cognition. Moreover, as psychedelic research advances, there is an increasing interest in developing nonhallucinogenic derivatives of these drugs to create safer and more targeted medications for psychiatric disorders by removing the hallucinogenic properties while retaining the potential therapeutic benefits. These nonhallucinogenic derivatives would offer patients therapeutic advantages without the intense psychedelic experience, potentially reducing the risks of adverse reactions. Finally, we discuss the potential of psychedelics as substrates for post-translational modification of proteins as part of their mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay P Cameron
- Department of Psychiatry, Stanford University, Palo Alto 94305, California
| | - Joseph Benetatos
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla 92093, California
| | - Vern Lewis
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa K1S 5B6, Ontario Canada
| | - Emma M Bonniwell
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, Wisconsin
| | - Alaina M Jaster
- Pharmacology and Toxicology, Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298, Virginia
| | - Rafael Moliner
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE and Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Eero Castrén
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE and Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - John D McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, Wisconsin
| | - Mikael Palner
- Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Department Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense DK-2100, Denmark
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15
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Vecera CM, C. Courtes A, Jones G, Soares JC, Machado-Vieira R. Pharmacotherapies Targeting GABA-Glutamate Neurotransmission for Treatment-Resistant Depression. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1572. [PMID: 38004437 PMCID: PMC10675154 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a term used to describe a particular type of major depressive disorder (MDD). There is no consensus about what defines TRD, with various studies describing between 1 and 4 failures of antidepressant therapies, with or without electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). That is why TRD is such a growing concern among clinicians and researchers, and it explains the necessity for investigating novel therapeutic targets beyond conventional monoamine pathways. An imbalance between two primary central nervous system (CNS) neurotransmitters, L-glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), has emerged as having a key role in the pathophysiology of TRD. In this review, we provide an evaluation and comprehensive review of investigational antidepressants targeting these two systems, accessing their levels of available evidence, mechanisms of action, and safety profiles. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonism has shown the most promise amongst the glutamatergic targets, with ketamine and esketamine (Spravato) robustly generating responses across trials. Two specific NMDA-glycine site modulators, D-cycloserine (DCS) and apimostinel, have also generated promising initial safety and efficacy profiles, warranting further investigation. Combination dextromethorphan-bupropion (AXS-05/Auvelity) displays a unique mechanism of action and demonstrated positive results in particular applicability in subpopulations with cognitive dysfunction. Currently, the most promising GABA modulators appear to be synthetic neurosteroid analogs with positive GABAA receptor modulation (such as brexanolone). Overall, advances in the last decade provide exciting perspectives for those who do not improve with conventional therapies. Of the compounds reviewed here, three are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): esketamine (Spravato) for TRD, Auvelity (dextromethorphan-bupropion) for major depressive disorder (MDD), and brexanolone (Zulresso) for post-partum depression (PPD). Notably, some concerns have arisen with esketamine and brexanolone, which will be detailed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney M. Vecera
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Alan C. Courtes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Gregory Jones
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Jair C. Soares
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Rodrigo Machado-Vieira
- John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center at UTHealth Houston, 5615 H.Mark Crosswell Jr St, Houston, TX 77021, USA
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16
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Wu G, Xu H. A synopsis of multitarget therapeutic effects of anesthetics on depression. Eur J Pharmacol 2023; 957:176032. [PMID: 37660970 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2023.176032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Depression is a profound mental disorder that dampens the mood and undermines volition, which exhibited an increased incidence over the years. Although drug-based interventions remain the primary approach for depression treatment, the available medications still can't satisfy the patients. In recent years, the newly discovered therapeutic targets such as N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor, and tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) have brought new breakthroughs in the development of antidepressant drugs. Moreover, it has come to light that certain anesthetics possess pharmacological mechanisms intricately linked to the aforementioned therapeutic targets for depression. At present, numerous preclinical and clinical studies have explored the therapeutic effects of anesthetic drugs such as ketamine, isoflurane, N2O, and propofol, on depression. These investigations suggested that these drugs can swiftly ameliorate patients' depression symptoms and engender long-term effects. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the research progress and potential molecular mechanisms of various anesthetic drugs for depression treatment. By shedding light on this subject, we aim to facilitate the development and clinical implementation of new antidepressant drugs based on anesthetic medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guowei Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China
| | - Hongwei Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, P.R. China.
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17
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Burrows M, Kotoula V, Dipasquale O, Stringaris A, Mehta MA. Ketamine-induced changes in resting state connectivity, 2 h after the drug administration in patients with remitted depression. J Psychopharmacol 2023; 37:784-794. [PMID: 37491833 DOI: 10.1177/02698811231189432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Resting state connectivity studies link ketamine's antidepressant effects with normalisation of the brain connectivity changes that are observed in depression. These changes, however, usually co-occur with improvement in depressive symptoms, making it difficult to attribute these changes to ketamine's effects per se. AIMS Our aim is to examine the effects of ketamine in brain connectivity, 2 h after its administration in a cohort of volunteers with remitted depression. Any significant changes observed in this study could provide insight of ketamine's antidepressant mechanism as they are not accompanied by symptom changes. METHODS In total, 35 participants with remitted depression (21 females, mean age = 28.5 years) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) or saline. Resting state scans were acquired approximately 2 h after the ketamine infusion. Brain connectivity was examined using a seed-based approach (ventral striatum, amygdala, hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC)) and a brain network analysis (independent component analysis). RESULTS Decreased connectivity between the sgACC and the amygdala was observed approximately 2 h after the ketamine infusion, compared to placebo (pFWE < 0.05). The executive network presented with altered connectivity with different cortical and subcortical regions. Within the network, the left hippocampus and right amygdala had decreased connectivity (pFWE < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our findings support a model whereby ketamine would change the connectivity of brain areas and networks that are important for cognitive processing and emotional regulation. These changes could also be an indirect indicator of the plasticity changes induced by the drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Burrows
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, IoPPN, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Vasileia Kotoula
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, NIMH, Bethesda, MA, USA
| | - Ottavia Dipasquale
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, IoPPN, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Argyris Stringaris
- Division of Psychiatry and Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, UCL, London, UK
- First Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Mitul A Mehta
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, IoPPN, King's College London, London, UK
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18
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Jones G, Machado-Vieira R. The case for reverse engineering ketamine and psychedelics: lessons from translational oncology. A Response to Miller et al. "Burning down the house: reinventing drug discovery in psychiatry for the development of targeted therapies". Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3164-3166. [PMID: 37173450 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02102-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Jones
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rodrigo Machado-Vieira
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
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19
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Kopelman J, Keller TA, Panny B, Griffo A, Degutis M, Spotts C, Cruz N, Bell E, Do-Nguyen K, Wallace ML, Mathew SJ, Howland RH, Price RB. Rapid neuroplasticity changes and response to intravenous ketamine: a randomized controlled trial in treatment-resistant depression. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:159. [PMID: 37160885 PMCID: PMC10170140 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02451-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Intravenous ketamine is posited to rapidly reverse depression by rapidly enhancing neuroplasticity. In human patients, we quantified gray matter microstructural changes on a rapid (24-h) timescale within key regions where neuroplasticity enhancements post-ketamine have been implicated in animal models. In this study, 98 unipolar depressed adults who failed at least one antidepressant medication were randomized 2:1 to a single infusion of intravenous ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) or vehicle (saline) and completed diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) assessments at pre-infusion baseline and 24-h post-infusion. DTI mean diffusivity (DTI-MD), a putative marker of microstructural neuroplasticity in gray matter, was calculated for 7 regions of interest (left and right BA10, amygdala, and hippocampus; and ventral Anterior Cingulate Cortex) and compared to clinical response measured with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms-Self-Report (QIDS-SR). Individual differences in DTI-MD change (greater decrease from baseline to 24-h post-infusion, indicative of more neuroplasticity enhancement) were associated with larger improvements in depression scores across several regions. In the left BA10 and left amygdala, these relationships were driven primarily by the ketamine group (group * DTI-MD interaction effects: p = 0.016-0.082). In the right BA10, these associations generalized to both infusion arms (p = 0.007). In the left and right hippocampus, on the MADRS only, interaction effects were observed in the opposite direction, such that DTI-MD change was inversely associated with depression change in the ketamine arm specifically (group * DTI-MD interaction effects: p = 0.032-0.06). The acute effects of ketamine on depression may be mediated, in part, by acute changes in neuroplasticity quantifiable with DTI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared Kopelman
- University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Benjamin Panny
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Angela Griffo
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Michelle Degutis
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Crystal Spotts
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nicolas Cruz
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Bell
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kevin Do-Nguyen
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Sanjay J Mathew
- Baylor College of Medicine and Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robert H Howland
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rebecca B Price
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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20
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Nguyen TML, Jollant F, Tritschler L, Colle R, Corruble E, Gardier AM. Pharmacological Mechanism of Ketamine in Suicidal Behavior Based on Animal Models of Aggressiveness and Impulsivity: A Narrative Review. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16040634. [PMID: 37111391 PMCID: PMC10146327 DOI: 10.3390/ph16040634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Around 700,000 people die from suicide each year in the world. Approximately 90% of suicides have a history of mental illness, and more than two-thirds occur during a major depressive episode. Specific therapeutic options to manage the suicidal crisis are limited and measures to prevent acting out also remain limited. Drugs shown to reduce the risk of suicide (antidepressants, lithium, or clozapine) necessitate a long delay of onset. To date, no treatment is indicated for the treatment of suicidality. Ketamine, a glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist, is a fast-acting antidepressant with significant effects on suicidal ideation in the short term, while its effects on suicidal acts still need to be demonstrated. In the present article, we reviewed the literature on preclinical studies in order to identify the potential anti-suicidal pharmacological targets of ketamine. Impulsive-aggressive traits are one of the vulnerability factors common to suicide in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression. Preclinical studies in rodent models with impulsivity, aggressiveness, and anhedonia may help to analyze, at least in part, suicide neurobiology, as well as the beneficial effects of ketamine/esketamine on reducing suicidal ideations and preventing suicidal acts. The present review focuses on disruptions in the serotonergic system (5-HTB receptor, MAO-A enzyme), neuroinflammation, and/or the HPA axis in rodent models with an impulsive/aggressive phenotype, because these traits are critical risk factors for suicide in humans. Ketamine can modulate these endophenotypes of suicide in human as well as in animal models. The main pharmacological properties of ketamine are then summarized. Finally, numerous questions arose regarding the mechanisms by which ketamine may prevent an impulsive-aggressive phenotype in rodents and suicidal ideations in humans. Animal models of anxiety/depression are important tools to better understand the pathophysiology of depressed patients, and in helping develop novel and fast antidepressant drugs with anti-suicidal properties and clinical utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Mai Loan Nguyen
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, MOODS Team, F-91400 Orsay, France
| | - Fabrice Jollant
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Médecine, Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, MOODS Team, F-94270 Le Kremin-Bicêtre, France
- Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Saclay, Hôpital de Bicêtre, F-94275 Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
- Pôle de Psychiatrie, CHU Nîmes, 30900 Nîmes, France
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University and McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Laurent Tritschler
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, MOODS Team, F-91400 Orsay, France
| | - Romain Colle
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Médecine, Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, MOODS Team, F-94270 Le Kremin-Bicêtre, France
- Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Saclay, Hôpital de Bicêtre, F-94275 Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Emmanuelle Corruble
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Médecine, Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, MOODS Team, F-94270 Le Kremin-Bicêtre, France
- Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Saclay, Hôpital de Bicêtre, F-94275 Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Alain M Gardier
- Université Paris-Saclay, Faculté de Pharmacie, Inserm CESP/UMR 1018, MOODS Team, F-91400 Orsay, France
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21
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The effect of ketamine and D-cycloserine on the high frequency resting EEG spectrum in humans. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:59-75. [PMID: 36401646 PMCID: PMC9816261 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06272-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Preclinical studies indicate that high-frequency oscillations, above 100 Hz (HFO:100-170 Hz), are a potential translatable biomarker for pharmacological studies, with the rapid acting antidepressant ketamine increasing both gamma (40-100 Hz) and HFO. OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of the uncompetitive NMDA antagonist ketamine, and of D-cycloserine (DCS), which acts at the glycine site on NMDA receptors on HFO in humans. METHODS We carried out a partially double-blind, 4-way crossover study in 24 healthy male volunteers. Each participant received an oral tablet and an intravenous infusion on each of four study days. The oral treatment was either DCS (250 mg or 1000 mg) or placebo. The infusion contained 0.5 mg/kg ketamine or saline placebo. The four study conditions were therefore placebo-placebo, 250 mg DCS-placebo, 1000 mg DCS-placebo, or placebo-ketamine. RESULTS Compared with placebo, frontal midline HFO magnitude was increased by ketamine (p = 0.00014) and 1000 mg DCS (p = 0.013). Frontal gamma magnitude was also increased by both these treatments. However, at a midline parietal location, only HFO were increased by DCS, and not gamma, whilst ketamine increased both gamma and HFO at this location. Ketamine induced psychomimetic effects, as measured by the PSI scale, whereas DCS did not increase the total PSI score. The perceptual distortion subscale scores correlated with the posterior low gamma to frontal high beta ratio. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that, at high doses, a partial NMDA agonist (DCS) has similar effects on fast neural oscillations as an NMDA antagonist (ketamine). As HFO were induced without psychomimetic effects, they may prove a useful drug development target.
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22
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Thompson SM. Plasticity of synapses and reward circuit function in the genesis and treatment of depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:90-103. [PMID: 36057649 PMCID: PMC9700729 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01422-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
What changes in brain function cause the debilitating symptoms of depression? Can we use the answers to this question to invent more effective, faster acting antidepressant drug therapies? This review provides an overview and update of the converging human and preclinical evidence supporting the hypothesis that changes in the function of excitatory synapses impair the function of the circuits they are embedded in to give rise to the pathological changes in mood, hedonic state, and thought processes that characterize depression. The review also highlights complementary human and preclinical findings that classical and novel antidepressant drugs relieve the symptoms of depression by restoring the functions of these same synapses and circuits. These findings offer a useful path forward for designing better antidepressant compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA.
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23
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Zhang K, Yao Y, Hashimoto K. Ketamine and its metabolites: Potential as novel treatments for depression. Neuropharmacology 2023; 222:109305. [PMID: 36354092 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Depression is a well-known serious mental illness, and the onset of treatment using traditional antidepressants is frequently delayed by several weeks. Moreover, numerous patients with depression fail to respond to therapy. One major breakthrough in antidepressant therapy is that subanesthetic ketamine doses can rapidly alleviate depressive symptoms within hours of administering a single dose, even in treatment-resistant patients. However, specific mechanisms through which ketamine exerts its antidepressant effects remain elusive, leading to concerns regarding its rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects. N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists like ketamine are reportedly associated with serious side effects, such as dissociative symptoms, cognitive impairment, and abuse potential, limiting the large-scale clinical use of ketamine as an antidepressant. Herein, we reviewed the pharmacological properties of ketamine and the mechanisms of action underlying the rapid antidepressant efficacy, including the disinhibition hypothesis and synaptogenesis, along with common downstream effector pathways such as enhanced brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tropomyosin-related kinase B signaling, activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 and transforming growth factor β1. We focused on evidence supporting the relevance of these potential mechanisms of ketamine and its metabolites in mediating the clinical efficacy of the drug. Given its reported antidepressant efficacy in preclinical studies and limited undesirable adverse effects, (R)-ketamine may be a safer, more controllable, rapid antidepressant. Overall, understanding the potential mechanisms of action of ketamine and its metabolites in combination with pharmacology may help develop a new generation of rapid antidepressants that maximize antidepressant effects while avoiding unfavorable adverse effects. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'Ketamine and its Metabolites'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
| | - Yitan Yao
- Department of Psychiatry, Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Anhui Psychiatric Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Kenji Hashimoto
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan.
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24
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Casarotto P, Umemori J, Castrén E. BDNF receptor TrkB as the mediator of the antidepressant drug action. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1032224. [PMID: 36407765 PMCID: PMC9666396 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1032224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling through its receptor TrkB has for a long time been recognized as a critical mediator of the antidepressant drug action, but BDNF signaling has been considered to be activated indirectly through the action of typical and rapid-acting antidepressants through monoamine transporters and glutamate NMDA receptors, respectively. However, recent findings demonstrate that both typical and the fast-acting antidepressants directly bind to TrkB and thereby allosterically potentiate BDNF signaling, suggesting that TrkB is the direct target for antidepressant drugs. Increased TrkB signaling particularly in the parvalbumin-expressing interneurons orchestrates iPlasticity, a state of juvenile-like enhanced plasticity in the adult brain. iPlasticity sensitizes neuronal networks to environmental influences, enabling rewiring of networks miswired by adverse experiences. These findings have dramatically changed the position of TrkB in the antidepressant effects and they propose a new end-to-end model of the antidepressant drug action. This model emphasizes the enabling role of antidepressant treatment and the active participation of the patient in the process of recovery from mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Plinio Casarotto
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juzoh Umemori
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Gene and Cell Technology, A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Eero Castrén
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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25
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Bonaventura J, Gomez JL, Carlton ML, Lam S, Sanchez-Soto M, Morris PJ, Moaddel R, Kang HJ, Zanos P, Gould TD, Thomas CJ, Sibley DR, Zarate CA, Michaelides M. Target deconvolution studies of (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine: an elusive search. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4144-4156. [PMID: 35768639 PMCID: PMC10013843 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01673-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The off-label use of racemic ketamine and the FDA approval of (S)-ketamine are promising developments for the treatment of depression. Nevertheless, racemic ketamine and (S)-ketamine are controlled substances with known abuse potential and their use is associated with undesirable side effects. For these reasons, research efforts have focused on identifying alternatives. One candidate is (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine ((2R,6R)-HNK), a ketamine metabolite that in preclinical models lacks the dissociative and abuse properties of ketamine while retaining its antidepressant-like behavioral efficacy. (2R,6R)-HNK's mechanism of action however is unclear. The main goals of this study were to perform an in-depth pharmacological characterization of (2R,6R)-HNK at known ketamine targets, to use target deconvolution approaches to discover novel proteins that bind to (2R,6R)-HNK, and to characterize the biodistribution and behavioral effects of (2R,6R)-HNK across several procedures related to substance use disorder liability. We found that unlike (S)- or (R)-ketamine, (2R,6R)-HNK did not directly bind to any known or proposed ketamine targets. Extensive screening and target deconvolution experiments at thousands of human proteins did not identify any other direct (2R,6R)-HNK-protein interactions. Biodistribution studies using radiolabeled (2R,6R)-HNK revealed non-selective brain regional enrichment, and no specific binding in any organ other than the liver. (2R,6R)-HNK was inactive in conditioned place preference, open-field locomotor activity, and intravenous self-administration procedures. Despite these negative findings, (2R,6R)-HNK produced a reduction in immobility time in the forced swim test and a small but significant increase in metabolic activity across a network of brain regions, and this metabolic signature differed from the brain metabolic profile induced by ketamine enantiomers. In sum, our results indicate that (2R,6R)-HNK does not share pharmacological or behavioral profile similarities with ketamine or its enantiomers. However, it could still be possible that both ketamine and (2R,6R)-HNK exert antidepressant-like efficacy through a common and previously unidentified mechanism. Given its pharmacological profile, we predict that (2R,6R)-HNK will exhibit a favorable safety profile in clinical trials, and we must wait for clinical studies to determine its antidepressant efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Bonaventura
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, 21224, MD, USA
- Departament de Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Juan L Gomez
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, 21224, MD, USA
| | - Meghan L Carlton
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, 21224, MD, USA
| | - Sherry Lam
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, 21224, MD, USA
| | - Marta Sanchez-Soto
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Patrick J Morris
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Rockville, 20850, MD, USA
| | - Ruin Moaddel
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, 21224, MD, USA
| | - Hye Jin Kang
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical School, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Panos Zanos
- Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia, 2109, Cyprus
| | - Todd D Gould
- Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry, Pharmacology, and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, 21201, MD, USA
| | - Craig J Thomas
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Rockville, 20850, MD, USA
| | - David R Sibley
- Molecular Neuropharmacology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Carlos A Zarate
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, 20892, MD, USA
| | - Michael Michaelides
- Biobehavioral Imaging and Molecular Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, 21224, MD, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, 21205, MD, USA.
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26
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Pilc A, Machaczka A, Kawalec P, Smith JL, Witkin JM. Where do we go next in antidepressant drug discovery? A new generation of antidepressants: a pivotal role of AMPA receptor potentiation and mGlu2/3 receptor antagonism. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2022; 17:1131-1146. [PMID: 35934973 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2022.2111415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Major depressive disorder remains a prevalent world-wide health problem. Currently available antidepressant medications take weeks of dosing, do not produce antidepressant response in all patients, and have undesirable ancillary effects. AREAS COVERED The present opinion piece focuses on the major inroads to the creation of new antidepressants. These include N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists and related compounds like ketamine, psychedelic drugs like psilocybin, and muscarinic receptor antagonists like scopolamine. The preclinical and clinical pharmacological profile of these new-age antidepressant drugs is discussed. EXPERT OPINION Preclinical and clinical data have accumulated to predict a next generation of antidepressant medicines. In contrast to the current standard of care antidepressant drugs, these compounds differ in that they demonstrate rapid activity, often after a single dose, and effects that outlive their presence in brain. These compounds also can provide efficacy for treatment-resistant depressed patients. The mechanism of action of these compounds suggests a strong glutamatergic component that involves the facilitation of AMPA receptor function. Antagonism of mGlu2/3 receptors is also relevant to the antidepressant pharmacology of this new class of drugs. Based upon the ongoing efforts to develop these new-age antidepressants, new drug approvals are predicted in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej Pilc
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland.,Drug Management Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agata Machaczka
- Department of Neurobiology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Paweł Kawalec
- Drug Management Department, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jodi L Smith
- Laboratory of Antiepileptic Drug Discovery, Ascension St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Witkin
- Laboratory of Antiepileptic Drug Discovery, Ascension St. Vincent, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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27
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Medeiros GC, Gould TD, Prueitt WL, Nanavati J, Grunebaum MF, Farber NB, Singh B, Selvaraj S, Machado-Vieira R, Achtyes ED, Parikh SV, Frye MA, Zarate CA, Goes FS. Blood-based biomarkers of antidepressant response to ketamine and esketamine: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3658-3669. [PMID: 35760879 PMCID: PMC9933928 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01652-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
(R,S)-ketamine (ketamine) and its enantiomer (S)-ketamine (esketamine) can produce rapid and substantial antidepressant effects. However, individual response to ketamine/esketamine is variable, and there are no well-accepted methods to differentiate persons who are more likely to benefit. Numerous potential peripheral biomarkers have been reported, but their current utility is unclear. We conducted a systematic review/meta-analysis examining the association between baseline levels and longitudinal changes in blood-based biomarkers, and response to ketamine/esketamine. Of the 5611 citations identified, 56 manuscripts were included (N = 2801 participants), and 26 were compatible with meta-analytical calculations. Random-effect models were used, and effect sizes were reported as standardized mean differences (SMD). Our assessments revealed that more than 460 individual biomarkers were examined. Frequently studied groups included neurotrophic factors (n = 15), levels of ketamine and ketamine metabolites (n = 13), and inflammatory markers (n = 12). There were no consistent associations between baseline levels of blood-based biomarkers, and response to ketamine. However, in a longitudinal analysis, ketamine responders had statistically significant increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) when compared to pre-treatment levels (SMD [95% CI] = 0.26 [0.03, 0.48], p = 0.02), whereas non-responders showed no significant changes in BDNF levels (SMD [95% CI] = 0.05 [-0.19, 0.28], p = 0.70). There was no consistent evidence to support any additional longitudinal biomarkers. Findings were inconclusive for esketamine due to the small number of studies (n = 2). Despite a diverse and substantial literature, there is limited evidence that blood-based biomarkers are associated with response to ketamine, and no current evidence of clinical utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo C. Medeiros
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Todd D. Gould
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Departments of Pharmacology and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Julie Nanavati
- Welch Medical Library, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael F. Grunebaum
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Nuri B. Farber
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Balwinder Singh
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Sudhakar Selvaraj
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA
| | - Rodrigo Machado-Vieira
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Houston, TX, USA
| | - Eric D. Achtyes
- Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.,Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Sagar V. Parikh
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mark A. Frye
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Carlos A. Zarate
- Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, NIMH-NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fernando S. Goes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to Fernando S. Goes.,
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28
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Troppoli TA, Zanos P, Georgiou P, Gould TD, Rudolph U, Thompson SM. Negative Allosteric Modulation of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid A Receptors at α5 Subunit-Containing Benzodiazepine Sites Reverses Stress-Induced Anhedonia and Weakened Synaptic Function in Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:216-226. [PMID: 35120711 PMCID: PMC9198111 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Abnormal reward processing, typically anhedonia, is a hallmark of human depression and is accompanied by altered functional connectivity in reward circuits. Negative allosteric modulators of GABAA (gamma-aminobutyric acid A) receptors (GABA-NAMs) have rapid antidepressant-like properties in rodents and exert few adverse effects, but molecular targets underlying their behavioral and synaptic effects remain undetermined. We hypothesized that GABA-NAMs act at the benzodiazepine site of GABAA receptors containing α5 subunits to increase gamma oscillatory activity, strengthen synapses in reward circuits, and reverse anhedonia. METHODS Anhedonia was induced by chronic stress in male mice and assayed by preferences for sucrose and female urine (n = 5-7 mice/group). Hippocampal slices were then prepared for electrophysiological recording (n = 1-6 slices/mouse, 4-6 mice/group). Electroencephalography power was quantified in response to GABA-NAM and ketamine administration (n = 7-9 mice/group). RESULTS Chronic stress reduced sucrose and female urine preferences and hippocampal temporoammonic-CA1 synaptic strength. A peripheral injection of the GABA-NAM MRK-016 restored hedonic behavior and AMPA-to-NMDA ratios in wild-type mice. These actions were prevented by pretreatment with the benzodiazepine site antagonist flumazenil. MRK-016 administration increased gamma power over the prefrontal cortex in wild-type mice but not α5 knockout mice, whereas ketamine promoted gamma power in both genotypes. Hedonic behavior and AMPA-to-NMDA ratios were only restored by MRK-016 in stressed wild-type mice but not α5 knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS α5-Selective GABA-NAMs exert rapid anti-anhedonic actions and restore the strength of synapses in reward regions by acting at the benzodiazepine site of α5-containing GABAA receptors. These results encourage human studies using GABA-NAMs to treat depression by providing readily translatable measures of target engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A. Troppoli
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Molecular Medicine Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Panos Zanos
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Current address: Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, 1 Panepistimiou Avenue, Aglantzia, 2109, PO Box 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Polymnia Georgiou
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Todd D. Gould
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, 21201
| | - Uwe Rudolph
- Department of Comparative Biosciences and Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001 S Lincoln Ave, Urbana, IL 61802-6178
| | - Scott M. Thompson
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201,To whom correspondence should be addressed:
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29
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Xu S, Yao X, Li B, Cui R, Zhu C, Wang Y, Yang W. Uncovering the Underlying Mechanisms of Ketamine as a Novel Antidepressant. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:740996. [PMID: 35872836 PMCID: PMC9301111 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.740996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a devastating psychiatric disorder which exacts enormous personal and social-economic burdens. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, has been discovered to exert rapid and sustained antidepressant-like actions on MDD patients and animal models. However, the dissociation and psychotomimetic propensities of ketamine have limited its use for psychiatric indications. Here, we review recently proposed mechanistic hypotheses regarding how ketamine exerts antidepressant-like actions. Ketamine may potentiate α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-mediated transmission in pyramidal neurons by disinhibition and/or blockade of spontaneous NMDAR-mediated neurotransmission. Ketamine may also activate neuroplasticity- and synaptogenesis-relevant signaling pathways, which may converge on key components like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)/tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). These processes may subsequently rebalance the excitatory/inhibitory transmission and restore neural network integrity that is compromised in depression. Understanding the mechanisms underpinning ketamine’s antidepressant-like actions at cellular and neural circuit level will drive the development of safe and effective pharmacological interventions for the treatment of MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songbai Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Yao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Bingjin Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ranji Cui
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Cuilin Zhu
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Cuilin Zhu, ; Yao Wang, ; Wei Yang,
| | - Yao Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Cuilin Zhu, ; Yao Wang, ; Wei Yang,
| | - Wei Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Cuilin Zhu, ; Yao Wang, ; Wei Yang,
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30
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Alnefeesi Y, Chen-Li D, Krane E, Jawad MY, Rodrigues NB, Ceban F, Di Vincenzo JD, Meshkat S, Ho RCM, Gill H, Teopiz KM, Cao B, Lee Y, McIntyre RS, Rosenblat JD. Real-world effectiveness of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression: A systematic review & meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 151:693-709. [PMID: 35688035 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Ketamine is a promising therapeutic option in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The acute efficacy of ketamine in TRD has been demonstrated in replicated randomised-controlled trials (RCTs), but the generalizability of RCT data to real-world practice is limited. To this end, we conducted a systematic review (Search date: 25/12/2021; 1482 records identified) and meta-analysis of studies evaluating the real-world clinical effectiveness of ketamine in TRD patients. Four overlapping syntheses (Total n = 2665 patients; k = 79 studies) and 32 meta-regressions (Total n = 2050; k = 37) were conducted. All results suggest that the mean antidepressant effect is substantial (mean ± 95% CI, % responded = 45 ± 10%; p< 0.0001, % remitted = 30 ± 5.9%; p< 0.0001, Hedges g of symptomatological improvement = 1.44 ± 0.609; p < 0.0001), but the effect varies considerably among patients. The more treatment-resistant cases were found to remit less often (p < 0.01), but no such effect on response was evident (p > 0.05). Meta-regressions also confirmed that the therapeutic effect does not significantly decline with repeated treatments (p > 0.05). These results demonstrate that even the most treatment-resistant patients may benefit from ketamine, and that mid-to-long term treatment is effective in many patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazen Alnefeesi
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - David Chen-Li
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ella Krane
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Nelson B Rodrigues
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Felicia Ceban
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joshua D Di Vincenzo
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shakila Meshkat
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Roger C M Ho
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Institute of Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hartej Gill
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kayla M Teopiz
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Bing Cao
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Faculty of Psychology, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, PR China
| | - Yena Lee
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Roger S McIntyre
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joshua D Rosenblat
- Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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31
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Willis DE, Goldstein PA. Targeting Affective Mood Disorders With Ketamine to Prevent Chronic Postsurgical Pain. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2022; 3:872696. [PMID: 35832728 PMCID: PMC9271565 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.872696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The phencyclidine-derivative ketamine [2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(methylamino)cyclohexan-1-one] was added to the World Health Organization's Model List of Essential Medicines in 1985 and is also on the Model List of Essential Medicines for Children due to its efficacy and safety as an intravenous anesthetic. In sub-anesthetic doses, ketamine is an effective analgesic for the treatment of acute pain (such as may occur in the perioperative setting). Additionally, ketamine may have efficacy in relieving some forms of chronic pain. In 2019, Janssen Pharmaceuticals received regulatory-approval in both the United States and Europe for use of the S-enantiomer of ketamine in adults living with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. Pre-existing anxiety/depression and the severity of postoperative pain are risk factors for development of chronic postsurgical pain. An important question is whether short-term administration of ketamine can prevent the conversion of acute postsurgical pain to chronic postsurgical pain. Here, we have reviewed ketamine's effects on the biopsychological processes underlying pain perception and affective mood disorders, focusing on non-NMDA receptor-mediated effects, with an emphasis on results from human trials where available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianna E. Willis
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, NY, United States
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Peter A. Goldstein
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Peter A. Goldstein
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Artin H, Bentley S, Mehaffey E, Liu FX, Sojourner K, Bismark AW, Printz D, Lee EE, Martis B, De Peralta S, Baker DG, Mishra J, Ramanathan D. Effects of intranasal ( S)-ketamine on Veterans with co-morbid treatment-resistant depression and PTSD: A retrospective case series. EClinicalMedicine 2022; 48:101439. [PMID: 35706484 PMCID: PMC9092498 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND (S)-ketamine is a glutamatergic drug with potent and rapid acting effects for the treatment of depression. Little is known about the effectiveness of intranasal (S)-ketamine for treating patients with comorbid depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS We performed a retrospective case series analysis of clinical outcomes in 35 Veterans with co-morbid depression and PTSD who were treated with intranasal (S)-ketamine treatments at the VA San Diego Neuromodulation Clinic between Jan 2020 and March 2021. Veterans were not randomized or blinded to treatment. The primary outcome measured was a change in patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) scores across the first 8 treatments (induction period) using a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). In a smaller sub-group (n = 19) of Veterans who received at least 8 additional treatments, we analyzed whether intranasal (S)-ketamine continued to show treatment effects. Finally, we performed a sub-group and correlation analyses to understand how changes in PHQ-9 and PCL-5 scores were related across treatments. FINDINGS During the induction phase of treatment there was an absolute reduction of 5.1 (SEM 0.7) on the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) rating scale for depression, from 19.8 (SEM 0.7) at treatment 1 to 14.7 (SEM 0.8) at treatment 8 (week 4) (F(7238) = 8.3, p = 1e-6, partial η2 = 0.2). Five Veterans (14%) showed a clinically meaningful response (50% reduction in PHQ-9 score) at treatment 8. There was an absolute reduction of 15.5 +/- 2.4 on the patient checklist 5 (PCL-5) rating scale for PTSD, from 54.8 (SEM 2) at treatment 1 down to 39.3 (SEM 2.5) at treatment 8 (F(7238) = 15.5, p = 2e-7, partial η2 = 0.31). Sixteen Veterans (46%) showed a clinically meaningful response (reduction in PCL-5 of > 30%) in PTSD. Change in PHQ-9 correlated with change in PCL-5 at treatment 8 (r = 0.47, p = 0.005), but a decrease in PTSD symptoms were observable in some individuals with minimal anti-depressant response. INTERPRETATIONS While this is an open-label retrospective analysis, our results indicate that both depression and PTSD symptoms in Veterans with dual-diagnoses may improve with repeated intranasal (S)-ketamine treatment. The effects of (S)-ketamine on PTSD symptoms were temporally and individually distinct from those on depression, suggesting potentially different modes of action on the two disorders. This work may warrant formal randomized controlled studies on the effects of intranasal (S)-ketamine for individuals with co-morbid MDD and PTSD. FUNDING VA Center of Excellence in Stress and Mental Health, VA ORD (Career Development Award to DSR), Burroughs-Wellcome Fund Award (DSR), NIMH (EL).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hewa Artin
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sean Bentley
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Eamonn Mehaffey
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Fred X. Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kevin Sojourner
- Mental Health Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - Andrew W. Bismark
- Mental Health Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - David Printz
- Mental Health Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VASDHS, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ellen E. Lee
- Mental Health Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Brian Martis
- Mental Health Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sharon De Peralta
- Mental Health Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Dewleen G. Baker
- Mental Health Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VASDHS, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jyoti Mishra
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Dhakshin Ramanathan
- Mental Health Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS), San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, VASDHS, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Corresponding author at: Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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Identification of an optimal dose of intravenous ketamine for late-life treatment-resistant depression: a Bayesian adaptive randomization trial. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1088-1095. [PMID: 34839364 PMCID: PMC8938498 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01242-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Evidence supporting specific therapies for late-life treatment-resistant depression (LL-TRD) is necessary. This study used Bayesian adaptive randomization to determine the optimal dose for the probability of treatment response (≥50% improvement from baseline on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale) 7 days after a 40 min intravenous (IV) infusion of ketamine 0.1 mg/kg (KET 0.1), 0.25 mg/kg (KET 0.25), or 0.5 mg/kg (KET 0.5), compared to midazolam 0.03 mg/kg (MID) as an active placebo. The goal of this study was to identify the best dose to carry forward into a larger clinical trial. Response durability at day 28, safety and tolerability, and effects on cortical excitation/inhibition (E/I) ratio using resting electroencephalography gamma and alpha power, were also determined. Thirty-three medication-free US military veterans (mean age 62; range: 55-72; 10 female) with LL-TRD were randomized double-blind. The trial was terminated when dose superiority was established. All interventions were safe and well-tolerated. Pre-specified decision rules terminated KET 0.1 (N = 4) and KET 0.25 (N = 5) for inferiority. Posterior probability was 0.89 that day-seven treatment response was superior for KET 0.5 (N = 11; response rate = 70%) compared to MID (N = 13; response rate = 46%). Persistent treatment response at day 28 was superior for KET 0.5 (response rate = 82%) compared to MID (response rate = 37%). KET 0.5 had high posterior probability of increased frontal gamma power (posterior probability = 0.99) and decreased posterior alpha power (0.89) during infusion, suggesting an acute increase in E/I ratio. These results suggest that 0.5 mg/kg is an effective initial IV ketamine dose in LL-TRD, although further studies in individuals older than 75 are required.
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Highland JN, Morris PJ, Konrath KM, Riggs LM, Hagen NR, Zanos P, Powels CF, Moaddel R, Thomas CJ, Wang AQ, Gould TD. Hydroxynorketamine Pharmacokinetics and Antidepressant Behavioral Effects of (2 ,6)- and (5 R)-Methyl-(2 R,6 R)-hydroxynorketamines. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:510-523. [PMID: 35113535 PMCID: PMC9926475 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
(R,S)-Ketamine is rapidly metabolized to form a range of metabolites in vivo, including 12 unique hydroxynorketamines (HNKs) that are distinguished by a cyclohexyl ring hydroxylation at the 4, 5, or 6 position. While both (2R,6R)- and (2S,6S)-HNK readily penetrate the brain and exert rapid antidepressant-like actions in preclinical tests following peripheral administration, the pharmacokinetic profiles and pharmacodynamic actions of 10 other HNKs have not been examined. We assessed the pharmacokinetic profiles of all 12 HNKs in the plasma and brains of male and female mice and compared the relative potencies of four (2,6)-HNKs to induce antidepressant-relevant behavioral effects in the forced swim test in male mice. While all HNKs were readily brain-penetrable following intraperitoneal injection, there were robust differences in peak plasma and brain concentrations and exposures. Forced swim test immobility rank order of potency, from most to least potent, was (2R,6S)-, (2S,6R)-, (2R,6R)-, and (2S,6S)-HNK. We hypothesized that distinct structure-activity relationships and the resulting potency of each metabolite are linked to unique substitution patterns and resultant conformation of the six-membered cyclohexanone ring system. To explore this, we synthesized (5R)-methyl-(2R,6R)-HNK, which incorporates a methyl substitution on the cyclohexanone ring. (5R)-Methyl-(2R,6R)-HNK exhibited similar antidepressant-like potency to (2R,6S)-HNK. These results suggest that conformation of the cyclohexanone ring system in the (2,6)-HNKs is an important factor underlying potency and that additional engineering of this structural feature may improve the development of a new generation of HNKs. Such HNKs may represent novel drug candidates for the treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn N. Highland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
- Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
| | - Patrick J. Morris
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville MD 20850, USA
| | - Kylie M. Konrath
- Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville MD 20850, USA
| | - Lace M. Riggs
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
| | - Natalie R. Hagen
- Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville MD 20850, USA
| | - Panos Zanos
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
- Current address: Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus
| | - Chris F. Powels
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
| | - Ruin Moaddel
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore MD 21224, USA
| | - Craig J. Thomas
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville MD 20850, USA
| | - Amy Q. Wang
- Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville MD 20850, USA
| | - Todd D. Gould
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
- Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore MD 21201, USA
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Highland JN, Farmer CA, Zanos P, Lovett J, Zarate CA, Moaddel R, Gould TD. Sex-dependent metabolism of ketamine and ( 2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine in mice and humans. J Psychopharmacol 2022; 36:170-182. [PMID: 34971525 PMCID: PMC9904319 DOI: 10.1177/02698811211064922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ketamine is rapidly metabolized to norketamine and hydroxynorketamine (HNK) metabolites. In female mice, when compared to males, higher levels of (2R,6R;2S,6S)-HNK have been observed following ketamine treatment, and higher levels of (2R,6R)-HNK following the direct administration of (2R,6R)-HNK. AIM The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of sex in humans and mice, and gonadal hormones in mice on the metabolism of ketamine to form norketamine and HNKs and in the metabolism/elimination of (2R,6R)-HNK. METHODS In CD-1 mice, we utilized gonadectomy to evaluate the role of circulating gonadal hormones in mediating sex-dependent differences in ketamine and (2R,6R)-HNK metabolism. In humans (34 with treatment-resistant depression and 23 healthy controls) receiving an antidepressant dose of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg i.v. infusion over 40 min), we evaluated plasma levels of ketamine, norketamine, and HNKs. RESULTS In humans, plasma levels of ketamine and norketamine were higher in males than females, while (2R,6R;2S,6S)-HNK levels were not different. Following ketamine administration to mice (10 mg/kg i.p.), Cmax and total plasma concentrations of ketamine and norketamine were higher, and those of (2R,6R;2S,6S)-HNK were lower, in intact males compared to females. Direct (2R,6R)-HNK administration (10 mg/kg i.p.) resulted in higher levels of (2R,6R)-HNK in female mice. Ovariectomy did not alter ketamine metabolism in female mice, whereas orchidectomy recapitulated female pharmacokinetic differences in male mice, which was reversed with testosterone replacement. CONCLUSION Sex is an important biological variable that influences the metabolism of ketamine and the HNKs, which may contribute to sex differences in therapeutic antidepressant efficacy or side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn N. Highland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA.,Program in Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Cristan A. Farmer
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, USA
| | - Panos Zanos
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA.,Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA.,Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Jacqueline Lovett
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Carlos A. Zarate
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, USA
| | - Ruin Moaddel
- Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Todd D. Gould
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA.,Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD, USA.,Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA.,Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore MD, USA.,Reprint requests: Todd D. Gould, Rm. 936 MSTF 685 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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36
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Wei Y, Chang L, Hashimoto K. Molecular mechanisms underlying the antidepressant actions of arketamine: beyond the NMDA receptor. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:559-573. [PMID: 33963284 PMCID: PMC8960399 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01121-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of robust antidepressant actions exerted by the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist (R,S)-ketamine has been a crucial breakthrough in mood disorder research. (R,S)-ketamine is a racemic mixture of equal amounts of (R)-ketamine (arketamine) and (S)-ketamine (esketamine). In 2019, an esketamine nasal spray from Johnson & Johnson was approved in the United States of America and Europe for treatment-resistant depression. However, an increasing number of preclinical studies show that arketamine has greater potency and longer-lasting antidepressant-like effects than esketamine in rodents, despite the lower binding affinity of arketamine for the NMDAR. In clinical trials, non-ketamine NMDAR-related compounds did not exhibit ketamine-like robust antidepressant actions in patients with depression, despite these compounds showing antidepressant-like effects in rodents. Thus, the rodent data do not necessarily translate to humans due to the complexity of human psychiatric disorders. Collectively, the available studies indicate that it is unlikely that NMDAR plays a major role in the antidepressant action of (R,S)-ketamine and its enantiomers, although the precise molecular mechanisms underlying antidepressant actions of (R,S)-ketamine and its enantiomers remain unclear. In this paper, we review recent findings on the molecular mechanisms underlying the antidepressant actions of (R,S)-ketamine and its potent enantiomer arketamine. Furthermore, we discuss the possible role of the brain-gut-microbiota axis and brain-spleen axis in stress-related psychiatric disorders and in the antidepressant-like action of arketamine. Finally, we discuss the potential of arketamine as a treatment for cognitive impairment in psychiatric disorders, Parkinson's disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, and stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wei
- grid.411500.1Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan ,grid.410578.f0000 0001 1114 4286Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education and Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan China
| | - Lijia Chang
- grid.411500.1Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kenji Hashimoto
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan.
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Himmelseher S, Kochs EF. Ready for a "breakthrough" with ketamine? A look at recent pharmacological insights! Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 2021; 34:393-401. [PMID: 34052823 DOI: 10.1097/aco.0000000000001017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To update pharmacological insights on ketamine integrating information from different disciplines for developing steps to "breakthrough" approaches in clinical challenges. RECENT FINDINGS Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models have incorporated recirculation, ketamine metabolites, drug-drug interaction, and covariates such as age. Ketamine-induced relief from treatment-resistant depression has been explained by "disinhibition" of gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic interneurons and synaptogenic mechanisms requiring neurotrophic signals. Neuroimaging/electroencephalographic investigations have shown an increase in gamma spectral power in healthy volunteers and patients with depression, but also opposite changes in functional network connectivity after subanesthetic ketamine. Volunteer data may not be transferable to clinical conditions. Altered states of consciousness induced by subanesthetic ketamine have been described by disruption of resisting-state functional networks and frontoparietal connectivity with preservation of multisensory and sensor-motor networks. This has been interpreted as a "disconnected consciousness". SUMMARY More precise PK/PD models may improve the ketamine use regimen. The findings from research on depression are an important discovery because ketamine's impact on neuronal plasticity and synaptogenesis in human brain disease has directly been documented. Psychic adverse effects with subanesthetic ketamine are related to a "disconnected consciousness". Overall, progress has been made, but the "breakthrough" still has to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Himmelseher
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin, Technische Universität München, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich, Germany
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Schwenk ES, Torjman MC, Moaddel R, Lovett J, Katz D, Denk W, Lauritsen C, Silberstein SD, Wainer IW. Ketamine for Refractory Chronic Migraine: An Observational Pilot Study and Metabolite Analysis. J Clin Pharmacol 2021; 61:1421-1429. [PMID: 34125442 DOI: 10.1002/jcph.1920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Patients with refractory chronic migraine have substantial disability and have failed many acute and preventive medications. When aggressive intravenous therapy is indicated, both lidocaine and (R,S)-ketamine infusions have been used successfully to provide relief. Retrospective studies have shown that both agents may be associated with short-term analgesia. In this prospective, observational pilot study of 6 patients, we compared the effects of lidocaine and (R,S)-ketamine infusions and performed metabolite analyses of (R,S)-ketamine to determine its metabolic profile in this population. One of (R,S)-ketamine's metabolites, (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine, has been shown in animal studies to reduce pain, but human studies in patients undergoing continuous (R,S)-ketamine infusions for migraine are lacking. All 6 patients tolerated both infusions well with mild adverse effects. The baseline mean pain rating (0-10 numeric rating scale) decreased from 7.5 ± 2.2 to 4.7 ± 2.8 by end of lidocaine treatment ( P ≤ . 05 ) but increased to 7.0 ± 1.4 by the postdischarge visit at 4 weeks (P > .05 vs baseline). The baseline mean pain rating prior to ketamine treatment was 7.4 ± 1.4, which decreased to 3.7 ± 2.3 by the end of the hospitalization ( P ≤ . 05 ) but increased to 7.2 ± 1.7 by the postdischarge visit at 6 weeks (P > .05 vs baseline). For the primary outcome the change in pain from baseline to end of treatment was greater for ketamine than lidocaine (-3.7 vs -2.8; P ≤ . 05 ), but this has minimal clinical significance. Ketamine metabolite analysis revealed that (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine was the predominant metabolite during most of the infusion, consistent with previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S Schwenk
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Marc C Torjman
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ruin Moaddel
- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jacqueline Lovett
- National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel Katz
- Department of Anesthesiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - William Denk
- Department of Anesthesiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Clinton Lauritsen
- Department of Neurology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Stephen D Silberstein
- Department of Neurology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Irving W Wainer
- Cooper Medical School, Rowan University, Camden, New Jersey, USA
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Alario AA, Niciu MJ. Biomarkers of ketamine's antidepressant effect: a clinical review of genetics, functional connectivity, and neurophysiology. CHRONIC STRESS 2021; 5:24705470211014210. [PMID: 34159281 PMCID: PMC8186113 DOI: 10.1177/24705470211014210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and all-cause mortality (including suicide) worldwide, and, unfortunately, first-line monoaminergic antidepressants and evidence-based psychotherapies are not effective for all patients. Subanesthetic doses of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists and glutamate modulators ketamine and S-ketamine have rapid and robust antidepressant efficacy in such treatment-resistant depressed patients (TRD). Yet, as with all antidepressant treatments including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), not all TRD patients adequately respond, and we are presently unable to a priori predict who will respond or not respond to ketamine. Therefore, antidepressant treatment response biomarkers to ketamine have been a major focus of research for over a decade. In this article, we review the evidence in support of treatment response biomarkers, with a particular focus on genetics, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and neurophysiological studies, i.e. electroencephalography and magnetoencephalography. The studies outlined here lay the groundwork for replication and dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra A Alario
- Department of Psychiatry and Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Mark J Niciu
- Department of Psychiatry and Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA
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Chiral Pharmacokinetics and Metabolite Profile of Prolonged-release Ketamine Tablets in Healthy Human Subjects. Anesthesiology 2021; 135:326-339. [PMID: 34019627 DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000003829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The anesthetic ketamine after intravenous dosing is nearly completely metabolized to R- and S-stereoisomers of the active norketamine (analgesic, psychoactive) and 2,6-hydroxynorketamine (potential analgesic, antidepressant) as well as the inactive dehydronorketamine. Oral administration favors the formation of 2,6-hydroxynorketamines via extensive presystemic metabolism. The authors hypothesized that plasma exposure to 2,6-hydroxynorketamines relative to the psychoactive ketamine is greater after prolonged-release ketamine tablets than it is after intravenous ketamine. METHODS Pharmacokinetics of ketamine after intravenous infusion (5.0 mg) and single-dose administrations of 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg prolonged-released tablets were evaluated in 15 healthy white human subjects by means of a controlled, ascending-dose study. The stereoisomers of ketamine and metabolites were quantified in serum and urine by validated tandem mass-spectrometric assays and evaluated by noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. RESULTS After 40 mg prolonged-release tablets, the mean ± SD area under the concentrations-time curve ratios for 2,6-hydroxynorketamine/ketamine were 18 ± 11 (S-stereoisomers) and 30 ± 16 (R-stereoisomers) compared to 1.7 ± 0.8 and 3.1 ± 1.4 and after intravenous infusion (both P < 0.001). After 10 and 20 mg tablets, the R-ratios were even greater. The distribution volumes at steady state of S- and R-ketamine were 6.6 ± 2.2 and 5.6 ± 2.1 l/kg, terminal half-lives 5.2 ± 3.4 and 6.1 ± 3.1 h, and metabolic clearances 1,620 ± 380 and 1,530 ± 380 ml/min, respectively. Bioavailability of the 40 mg tablets was 15 ± 8 (S-isomer) and 19 ± 10% (R-isomer) and terminal half-life 11 ± 4 and 10 ± 4 h. About 7% of the dose was renally excreted as S-stereoisomers and 17% as R-stereoisomers. CONCLUSIONS Prolonged-release ketamine tablets generate a high systemic exposure to 2,6-hydroxynorketamines and might therefore be an efficient and safer pharmaceutical dosage form for treatment of patients with chronic neuropathic pain compared to intravenous infusion. EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
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Irwin MN, VandenBerg A. Retracing our steps to understand ketamine in depression: A focused review of hypothesized mechanisms of action. Ment Health Clin 2021; 11:200-210. [PMID: 34026396 PMCID: PMC8120982 DOI: 10.9740/mhc.2021.05.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction MDD represents a significant burden worldwide, and while a number of approved treatments exist, there are high rates of treatment resistance and refractoriness. Ketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, is a novel, rapid-acting antidepressant, however the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of ketamine are not well understood and many other mechanisms outside of NMDAR antagonism have been postulated based on preclinical data. This focused review aims to present a summary of the proposed mechanisms of action by which ketamine functions in depressive disorders supported by preclinical data and clinical studies in humans. Methods A literature search was completed using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Results were limited to clinical trials and case studies in humans that were published in English. The findings were used to compile this article. Results The antidepressant effects associated with ketamine are mediated via a complex interplay of mechanisms; key steps include NMDAR blockade on γ-aminobutyric acid interneurons, glutamate surge, and subsequent activation and upregulation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor. Discussion Coadministration of ketamine for MDD with other psychotropic agents, for example benzodiazepines, may attenuate antidepressant effects. Limited evidence exists for these effects and should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison N Irwin
- Clinical Pharmacist Specialist in Psychology and Neurology, Department of Pharmacy, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Amy VandenBerg
- Clinical Pharmacist Specialist in Psychology and Neurology, Department of Pharmacy, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Lai CH. Fronto-limbic neuroimaging biomarkers for diagnosis and prediction of treatment responses in major depressive disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 107:110234. [PMID: 33370569 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The neuroimaging is an important tool for understanding the biomarkers and predicting treatment responses in major depressive disorder (MDD). The potential biomarkers and prediction of treatment response in MDD will be addressed in the review article. The brain regions of cognitive control and emotion regulation, such as the frontal and limbic regions, might represent the potential targets for MDD biomarkers. The potential targets of frontal lobes might include anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). For the limbic system, hippocampus and amygdala might be the potentially promising targets for MDD. The potential targets of fronto-limbic regions have been found in the studies of several major neuroimaging modalities, such as the magnetic resonance imaging, near-infrared spectroscopy, electroencephalography, positron emission tomography, and single-photon emission computed tomography. Additional regions, such as brainstem and midbrain, might also play a part in the MDD biomarkers. For the prediction of treatment response, the gray matter volumes, white matter tracts, functional representations and receptor bindings of ACC, DLPFC, OFC, amygdala, and hippocampus might play a role in the prediction of antidepressant responses in MDD. For the response prediction of psychotherapies, the fronto-limbic, reward regions, and insula will be the potential targets. For the repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, the DLPFC, ACC, limbic, and visuospatial regions might represent the predictive targets for treatment. The neuroimaging targets of MDD might be focused in the fronto-limbic regions. However, the neuroimaging targets for the prediction of treatment responses might be inconclusive and beyond the fronto-limbic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Han Lai
- Institute of Biophotonics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; PhD Psychiatry & Neuroscience Clinic, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Highland JN, Zanos P, Riggs LM, Georgiou P, Clark SM, Morris PJ, Moaddel R, Thomas CJ, Zarate CA, Pereira EFR, Gould TD. Hydroxynorketamines: Pharmacology and Potential Therapeutic Applications. Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:763-791. [PMID: 33674359 PMCID: PMC7938660 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydroxynorketamines (HNKs) are formed in vivo after (R,S)-ketamine (ketamine) administration. The 12 HNK stereoisomers are distinguished by the position of cyclohexyl ring hydroxylation (at the 4, 5, or 6 position) and their unique stereochemistry at two stereocenters. Although HNKs were initially classified as inactive metabolites because of their lack of anesthetic effects, more recent studies have begun to reveal their biologic activities. In particular, (2R,6R)- and (2S 6)-HNK exert antidepressant-relevant behavioral and physiologic effects in preclinical models, which led to a rapid increase in studies seeking to clarify the mechanisms by which HNKs exert their pharmacological effects. To date, the majority of HNK research has focused on the actions of (2R,6R)-HNK because of its robust behavioral actions in tests of antidepressant effectiveness and its limited adverse effects. This review describes HNK pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, as well as the putative cellular, molecular, and synaptic mechanisms thought to underlie their behavioral effects, both following their metabolism from ketamine and after direct administration in preclinical studies. Converging preclinical evidence indicates that HNKs modulate glutamatergic neurotransmission and downstream signaling pathways in several brain regions, including the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Effects on other neurotransmitter systems, as well as possible effects on neurotrophic and inflammatory processes, and energy metabolism, are also discussed. Additionally, the behavioral effects of HNKs and possible therapeutic applications are described, including the treatment of unipolar and bipolar depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, neuroinflammation, and other anti-inflammatory and analgesic uses. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Preclinical studies indicate that hydroxynorketamines (HNKs) exert antidepressant-relevant behavioral actions and may also have analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and other physiological effects that are relevant for the treatment of a variety of human diseases. This review details the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the HNKs, as well as their behavioral actions, putative mechanisms of action, and potential therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn N Highland
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Panos Zanos
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Lace M Riggs
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Polymnia Georgiou
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Sarah M Clark
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Patrick J Morris
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Ruin Moaddel
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Craig J Thomas
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Carlos A Zarate
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Edna F R Pereira
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
| | - Todd D Gould
- Departments of Psychiatry (J.N.H., P.Z., L.M.R., P.G., S.M.C., T.D.G.), Pharmacology (P.Z., T.D.G.), Physiology (P.Z.), Anatomy and Neurobiology (T.D.G), Epidemiology and Public Health, Division of Translational Toxicology (E.F.R.P.), Programs in Toxicology (J.N.H.) and Neuroscience (L.M.R.), and Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (T.D.G.); Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland (P.J.M., C.J.T.); Biomedical Research Center, National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland (R.M.); Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (C.A.Z.)
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Höflich A, Kraus C, Pfeiffer RM, Seiger R, Rujescu D, Zarate CA, Kasper S, Winkler D, Lanzenberger R. Translating the immediate effects of S-Ketamine using hippocampal subfield analysis in healthy subjects-results of a randomized controlled trial. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:200. [PMID: 33795646 PMCID: PMC8016970 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01318-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Antidepressant doses of ketamine rapidly facilitate synaptic plasticity and modify neuronal function within prefrontal and hippocampal circuits. However, most studies have demonstrated these effects in animal models and translational studies in humans are scarce. A recent animal study showed that ketamine restored dendritic spines in the hippocampal CA1 region within 1 h of administration. To translate these results to humans, this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study assessed ketamine's rapid neuroplastic effects on hippocampal subfield measurements in healthy volunteers. S-Ketamine vs. placebo data were analyzed, and data were also grouped by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) genotype. Linear mixed models showed that overall hippocampal subfield volumes were significantly larger (p = 0.009) post ketamine than post placebo (LS means difference=0.008, standard error=0.003). Post-hoc tests did not attribute effects to specific subfields (all p > 0.05). Trend-wise volumetric increases were observed within the left hippocampal CA1 region (p = 0.076), and trend-wise volumetric reductions were obtained in the right hippocampal-amygdaloid transition region (HATA) (p = 0.067). Neither genotype nor a genotype-drug interaction significantly affected the results (all p > 0.7). The study provides evidence that ketamine has short-term effects on hippocampal subfield volumes in humans. The results translate previous findings from animal models of depression showing that ketamine has pro-neuroplastic effects on hippocampal structures and underscore the importance of the hippocampus as a key region in ketamine's mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Höflich
- grid.22937.3d0000 0000 9259 8492Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Kraus
- grid.22937.3d0000 0000 9259 8492Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria ,grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Ruth M. Pfeiffer
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Biostatistics Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Rene Seiger
- grid.22937.3d0000 0000 9259 8492Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dan Rujescu
- grid.9018.00000 0001 0679 2801Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Carlos A. Zarate
- grid.94365.3d0000 0001 2297 5165Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Siegfried Kasper
- grid.22937.3d0000 0000 9259 8492Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dietmar Winkler
- grid.22937.3d0000 0000 9259 8492Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Kohtala S. Ketamine-50 years in use: from anesthesia to rapid antidepressant effects and neurobiological mechanisms. Pharmacol Rep 2021; 73:323-345. [PMID: 33609274 PMCID: PMC7994242 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00232-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Over the past 50 years, ketamine has solidified its position in both human and veterinary medicine as an important anesthetic with many uses. More recently, ketamine has been studied and used for several new indications, ranging from chronic pain to drug addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder. The discovery of the rapid-acting antidepressant effects of ketamine has resulted in a surge of interest towards understanding the precise mechanisms driving its effects. Indeed, ketamine may have had the largest impact for advancements in the research and treatment of psychiatric disorders in the past few decades. While intense research efforts have been aimed towards uncovering the molecular targets underlying ketamine's effects in treating depression, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain elusive. These efforts are made more difficult by ketamine's complex dose-dependent effects on molecular mechanisms, multiple pharmacologically active metabolites, and a mechanism of action associated with the facilitation of synaptic plasticity. This review aims to provide a brief overview of the different uses of ketamine, with an emphasis on examining ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects spanning molecular, cellular, and network levels. Another focus of the review is to offer a perspective on studies related to the different doses of ketamine used in antidepressant research. Finally, the review discusses some of the latest hypotheses concerning ketamine's action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Kohtala
- Laboratory of Neurotherapeutics, Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
- SleepWell Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Abstract
The discovery of the rapid antidepressant effects of the dissociative anaesthetic ketamine, an uncompetitive N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor antagonist, is arguably the most important breakthrough in depression research in the last 50 years. Ketamine remains an off-label treatment for treatment-resistant depression with factors that limit widespread use including its dissociative effects and abuse potential. Ketamine is a racemic mixture, composed of equal amounts of (S)-ketamine and (R)-ketamine. An (S)-ketamine nasal spray has been developed and approved for use in treatment-resistant depression in the United States and Europe; however, some concerns regarding efficacy and side effects remain. Although (R)-ketamine is a less potent N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor antagonist than (S)-ketamine, increasing preclinical evidence suggests (R)-ketamine may have more potent and longer lasting antidepressant effects than (S)-ketamine, alongside fewer side effects. Furthermore, a recent pilot trial of (R)-ketamine has demonstrated rapid-acting and sustained antidepressant effects in individuals with treatment-resistant depression. Research is ongoing to determine the specific cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the antidepressant actions of ketamine and its component enantiomers in an effort to develop future rapid-acting antidepressants that lack undesirable effects. Here, we briefly review findings regarding the antidepressant effects of ketamine and its enantiomers before considering underlying mechanisms including N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor antagonism, γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic interneuron inhibition, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic receptor activation, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tropomyosin kinase B signalling, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase signalling, inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 and inhibition of lateral habenula bursting, alongside potential roles of the monoaminergic and opioid receptor systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A Jelen
- Department of Psychological
Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s
College London, London, United Kingdom,South London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom,Luke A Jelen, Department of
Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and
Neuroscience, King’s College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London SE5
8AF, United Kingdom.
| | - Allan H Young
- Department of Psychological
Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s
College London, London, United Kingdom,South London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - James M Stone
- Department of Psychological
Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s
College London, London, United Kingdom,South London and Maudsley NHS
Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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Ballard ED, Zarate CA. The role of dissociation in ketamine's antidepressant effects. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6431. [PMID: 33353946 PMCID: PMC7755908 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20190-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ketamine produces immediate antidepressant effects and has inspired research into next-generation treatments. Ketamine also has short term dissociative effects, in which individuals report altered consciousness and perceptions of themselves and their environment. However, whether ketamine's dissociative side effects are necessary for its antidepressant effects remains unclear. This perspective examines the relationship between dissociative effects and acute and longer-lasting antidepressant response to ketamine and other N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. Presently, the literature does not support the conclusion that dissociation is necessary for antidepressant response to ketamine. However, further work is needed to explore the relationship between dissociation and antidepressant response at the molecular, biomarker, and psychological levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D Ballard
- Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Carlos A Zarate
- Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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Time is of the essence: Coupling sleep-wake and circadian neurobiology to the antidepressant effects of ketamine. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 221:107741. [PMID: 33189715 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of ketamine in rapidly alleviating depression and suicidal ideation. Intense research efforts have been undertaken to expose the precise mechanism underlying the antidepressant action of ketamine; however, the translation of findings into new clinical treatments has been slow. This translational gap is partially explained by a lack of understanding of the function of time and circadian timing in the complex neurobiology around ketamine. Indeed, the acute pharmacological effects of a single ketamine treatment last for only a few hours, whereas the antidepressant effects peak at around 24 hours and are sustained for the following few days. Numerous studies have investigated the acute and long-lasting neurobiological changes induced by ketamine; however, the most dramatic and fundamental change that the brain undergoes each day is rarely taken into consideration. Here, we explore the link between sleep and circadian regulation and rapid-acting antidepressant effects and summarize how diverse phenomena associated with ketamine's antidepressant actions - such as cortical excitation, synaptogenesis, and involved molecular determinants - are intimately connected with the neurobiology of wake, sleep, and circadian rhythms. We review several recently proposed hypotheses about rapid antidepressant actions, which focus on sleep or circadian regulation, and discuss their implications for ongoing research. Considering these aspects may be the last piece of the puzzle necessary to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of rapid-acting antidepressants on the brain.
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Abdallah CG. (2R,6R)-Hydroxynorketamine (HNK) plasma level predicts poor antidepressant response: is this the end of the HNK pipeline? Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1245-1246. [PMID: 32291407 PMCID: PMC7414015 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0668-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chadi G. Abdallah
- 0000 0004 0478 7015grid.418356.dNational Center for PTSD—Clinical Neuroscience Division, US Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT USA ,0000000419368710grid.47100.32Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT USA
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Elmer GI, Tapocik JD, Mayo CL, Zanos P, Gould TD. Ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine reverses behavioral despair produced by adolescent trauma. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 196:172973. [PMID: 32569786 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Early life trauma dramatically increases the risk of developing major depressive disorder (MDD), and is associated with a markedly decreased adult treatment response to antidepressants. Novel treatment approaches are required to treat childhood trauma-associated MDD. Recent studies suggest that the (R,S)-ketamine (ketamine) metabolite, (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK), exerts fast- and long-lasting antidepressant-like effects without ketamine's NMDAR-inhibition-associated adverse side-effect profile. We investigated the therapeutic potential of (2R,6R)-HNK against behavioral despair produced by a novel live-predator stress exposure during adolescence. Male and female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to a live snake or control conditions at post-natal (PND) days 31, 45 and 61. In order to assess the enduring consequences of trauma-exposure, at a minimum of 14 days following the last exposure, mice received inescapable shocks followed by a session with available escape options twenty-four hours later. Mice that manifested enduring escape deficits (helplessness) were treated with vehicle or (2R,6R)-HNK (20 mg/kg, i.p.), 24 h prior to retesting for reversal of escape deficits. We found that a significantly greater number of mice developed the helpless phenotype when they were exposed to the live predator and that the helpless phenotype was reversed in mice treated with (2R,6R)-HNK. There were no sex differences in the response to predator-stress exposure or (2R,6R)-HNK treatment. The live-predator model developed in this study provides an opportunity to further refine our understanding of the neurobiological substrates impacted by adolescent trauma and improve treatment strategies. The demonstrated efficacy of (2R,6R)-HNK in this model suggests a novel therapeutic intervention for a treatment-resistant population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg I Elmer
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Jenica D Tapocik
- Clin. And Translational Studies, NIAAA, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA
| | - Cheryl L Mayo
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Panos Zanos
- Departments of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Todd D Gould
- Departments of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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