Improving social symptoms of depression with a common anesthetic

In a recent study published in molecular psychiatryUsing a mouse model of depression, researchers at Osaka University found that low doses of ketamine (a common anesthetic) restored function in a specific brain region called the anterior insular cortex, leading to social It has been shown that this method can improve physical disorders.

Ketamine is often used in low doses to treat depression, but its effects in the brain remain relatively unclear. Generally, ketamine refers to a mixture of two different forms of ketamine: (S)-ketamine and (R)-ketamine. These two molecules are enantiomers, or enantiomers. Although they have the same molecular formula, their three-dimensional shapes are mirror images of each other. They usually exist as (S) and (R) pairs, but can also be separated into either (S)-ketamine or (R)-ketamine. Although the specific effects differ, each is beneficial in treating depression.

When the research team decided to test the effects of (S)-ketamine and (R)-ketamine on depression-like symptoms in mice, they first needed to determine an appropriate model. Considering that long-term social isolation can induce depression and social impairment, they chose a chronic (at least 6 weeks) social isolation mouse model.

The researchers then developed a method that allowed them to directly compare neuronal activation across the brains of mice treated with (S)-ketamine, (R)-ketamine, or saline (as a control) immediately after behavioral testing. I used

“In this way, we were able to observe the differences between (S)-ketamine and (R)-ketamine treatments in terms of neuronal activation throughout the brain, without having any predefined hypotheses. ” said Rei Yokoyama, lead author of the study. “Notably, chronic social isolation reduces neuronal activation in the anterior insular cortex (a brain region important for emotion regulation) during social contact, and (S)-ketamine but not ( We found that R)-ketamine decreased. We reversed this effect.”

The researchers also found that mice treated with (R)-ketamine were better at recognizing unfamiliar mice than unfamiliar mice in a social memory test, indicating improved social cognition. I also discovered that. Furthermore, when neuronal activity was suppressed in the anterior insular cortex, (R)-ketamine-induced improvements disappeared.

“These findings highlight the importance of the anterior insular cortex in the positive effects of (R)-ketamine on social impairment, at least in mice,” said Hitoshi Hashimoto, the study’s senior author. “Taken together, our results indicate that (R)-ketamine may be better at improving social cognition than (S)-ketamine, and that this effect is due to activation of neurons in the anterior insular cortex. This suggests that it depends on the recovery of

These findings are extremely important given that rates of social isolation and depression are increasing around the world. (R)-Ketamine is a promising treatment for social impairment caused by isolation and may contribute to improving the quality of life of people with related disorders.