How ketamine works: An actionable hypothesis

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Malinow, Roberto
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California San Diego; University of California System; University of California San Diego
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-8424; 1091-6490
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2533728123
• 发表日期: 2026-05-05
• 页码: e2533728123
• 关键词: ketamine; DEPRESSION; nmda; long-term depression; synaptic-transmission; potentiation; plasticity

摘要

Ketamine has been shown to reduce depression and suicidality in individuals resistant to treatment by other drugs. Exactly how ketamine works is not known. Here, I propose a new hypothesis that involves synaptic and circuit plasticity and may lead to enhanced efficacy in treating depression as well as other conditions.