Posted by lil jimi on August 23, 2010, at 14:28:07
There is an interesting article here:
http://www.physorg.com/news201427487.html#firstCmt
<blockquote>
...
"So Duman, colleague George Aghajanian and the Yale team set out to map the molecular action of the drug in the prefrontal cortex of rats that could lead to potential targets for a safer and more easily used drugs. The team discovered that ketamine acts on a pathway that rapidly forms new synaptic connections between neuronsa process called "synaptogenesis."""The pathway is the story. Understanding the mechanism underlying the antidepressant effect of ketamine will allow us to attack the problem at a variety of possible sites within that pathway," Aghajanian said.
"The team identified a critical point in the pathway, the enzyme mTOR, which controls protein synthesis required for new synaptic connections. There are already promising leads on ways to sustain the initial rapid effect of ketamine by intervening at specific downstream targets."
</blockquote>Obviously, there is more research to be done.
poster:lil jimi
thread:959493
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100821/msgs/959493.html