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Enhancing AMPA to NMDA throughput as a convergent mechanism for antidepressant action

  • Jing Du
  • , Rodrigo Machado-Vieira
  • , Sungho Maeng
  • , Keri Martinowich
  • , Husseini K. Manji
  • , Carlos A. Zarate

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

61 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this article, we first review current knowledge of the AMPA and NMDA glutamate receptors, their physiological properties and functions and their regulation by signaling cascades. We then discuss our hypothesis that the therapeutic effects of monoaminergic antidepressants and ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, may be mediated by increased AMPA to NMDA throughput in critical neuronal circuits. We hypothesize that ketamine mediates this throughput directly, thus resulting in rapid antidepressant effects whereas monoaminergic antidepressants work indirectly and gradually; this may explain, in part, the delayed onset of several weeks to months that is observed with traditional antidepressants.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)519-526
Number of pages8
JournalDrug Discovery Today: Therapeutic Strategies
Volume3
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2006

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by the Intramural Research Program at the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, and Department of Health & Human Services, The Stanly Medical Research Institute and NARSAD.

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