Antidepressants
Role of Neurotrophins
Antidepressants, including classical antidepressants, ECT, and RAADs (Rapid-acting antidepressants) may normalise or reverse changes to BDNF/pro-BDNF expression levels.
Classical antidepressants
- Increase BDNF indirectly
- Expression, not release → explains time lag between beginning of treatment & onset of treatment response
RAADs and Ketamine
- Ketamine is an NMDAR antagonist, which increases release of glutamate in synaptic clef, blocks effect of extracellular glutamate, and blocks activation of extrasynaptic NMDARs and spontaneous NMDAR activity, both of which are involved in inhibition of BDNF synthesis.
