Depression is a difficult problem to solve. We don’t fully understand what causes it and therefore we have difficulty developing treatments for it. Luckily, new research may have found a new solution, one that should be thoroughly considered.
Many of the treatments currently available for depression require weeks to take effect and even when they do they are usually somewhat ineffective, but a recent discovery by a team of researchers at the University of Maryland School Of Medicine could revolutionize how we deal with depression.
The popular party drug ketamine, also known as “Special K,” has been known to work as a fast-acting antidepressant which relieves symptoms in a matter of hours. The team of researchers, led by Dr. Tom Gould, set out to determine the mechanisms underlying ketamine’s medical properties.
Ketamine is highly addictive and has a powerful dissociative high, which can be so disorienting people find themselves unable to stand or speak, making it not ideal for medical purposes.
The team was able to determine ketamine’s antidepressant effects are caused by a compound that forms as the body breaks down the drug.
This newly discovered compound is named (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine. When given the option to self-administer the drug mice would opt not to, which demonstrated the compound does not have addictive qualities, meaning it could be used without high risk of abuse.
Furthermore, even when given doses 40 times higher than that required for antidepressant effects, the mice showed no signs of negative side-effects or signs of disorientation.
Interestingly, this compound was found to act on different receptors in the brain than ketamine.
The effects of ketamine are primarily due to activation of NMDA receptors, one of the receptors responsible for the effects of alcohol, and researchers have long been searching for a drug with ketamine’s antidepressant effects by studying the activation of these receptors, but with little success.
The newly discovered compound was found to primarily act on AMPA receptors, a finding which shocked the researchers. Researchers determined this by experimentally blocking AMPA receptors, preventing the compound from binding them and exerting its effect.
Given this unexpected result, the researchers hope other teams will begin exploring AMPA receptors as a target for potential new antidepressant drugs.
The next step for researchers is to acquire further data on the safety of this compound so clinical trials can be conducted in human patients. This is a process that could take years, so don’t expect to see doctors prescribing this drug anytime soon.
Some scientists caution the compound might behave differently in human subjects, but other researchers are optimistic and believe ketamine has opened the door to a whole new realm of depression treatment. Following this trail is important as it would be an excellent alternative to current treatment.
This research brings us one small step closer to finding a solution to one of the greatest mental health issues of our time.
jaykgold@umail.iu.edu
@JayKeche
