Ketamine was discovered in 1956. The drug was used initially as anaesthesia and in pain relief, but researchers have been looking for new uses for the drug ever since its discovery. Last year, the drug was approved for patients with major depression but who are treatment-resistant, and compared to standard antidepressants, it proved to be very effective.
Unlike standard antidepressants, which can take several weeks to have an effect, ketamine works within hours. Until now, little was known about the molecular mechanism that triggers the antidepressant effect of ketamine on the brain.
But what makes ketamine so effective in combating depression? The answer may be found in a group of proteins called 4E-BPs, which are involved in memory formation.
Learn more about the study over at MedicalXpress.
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