CNS Spectrums
March 10, 2026
Halima Faisal, Gia Han Le, Angela T H Kwan et al.
Background: Anhedonia and reward-processing deficits are core features of major depressive disorder (MDD) that respond poorly to traditional antidepressants.Ketamine has rapid antidepressant effects, yet its neurofunctional actions within reward circuits remain unclear.We synthesized human neuroimaging evidence on ketamine-related modulation of reward circuitry and implications for...
Journal of Affective Disorders
February 1, 2026
Kayla M Teopiz, Sabrina Wong, Gia Han Le et al.
Convergent evidence suggests that disrupted reward processing may be associated with observed alterations in frontostriatal activity in persons with major depressive disorder (MDD). Replicated evidence suggests that glutamatergic modulators may benefit persons experiencing disrupted reward function compared to healthy controls (HC). Herein, we systematically reviewed functional magnetic...
European Psychiatry
2026
Andy Lu, Heidi Xu, Gia Han Le et al.
4 citations
The reported mixed findings suggest that the opioid system may exert a partial mediating effect of ketamine in TRD. However, given the inconsistent attenuation of ketamine's antidepressant effects by opioid receptor antagonists, the opioid system likely functions as a context-dependent modulator rather than a primary mediator, particularly at standard antidepressant doses.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
December 1, 2025
Liyang Yin, A. Imamog ̄lu, Gia Han Le et al.
3 citations
ABSTRACT Introduction Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder resulting from exposure to traumatic events. Evidence suggests that ketamine may be efficacious in treating PTSD, however, ketamine's mechanisms in treating PTSD remain unclear. Herein, this review aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes of ketamine treatment in persons with PTSD and investigate the possible...
Journal of Psychiatric Research
October 30, 2025
Isabella S Ji, Morgan C H Cheng, Kayla M Teopiz et al.
2 citations
INTRODUCTION: Functional impairment is commonly reported amongst individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) or treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Extant evidence suggests that ketamine and esketamine, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists and glutamatergic modulators, have shown efficacy in treating MDD/TRD. While symptom reduction remains central to treatment, many...
CNS Spectrums
August 12, 2025
Gia Han Le, Sabrina Wong, Stavroula Bargiota et al.
3 citations
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. Conventional pharmacological models categorize the typology of pharmacologic ligands as agonists or antagonists. Biased agonism is a relatively newer pharmacodynamic characteristic that has potential to optimize therapeutic efficacy while minimizing adverse effects in psychiatric and...