Kyle Whiddon

Structural basis of opioid receptor activation by PCP and ketamine

Nature Structural & Molecular Biology June 22, 2026 Qianru Jiang, Jianming Han, Eve Fine et al.

Ketamine offers rapid relief for treatment-resistant depression and severe pain in the clinic, providing immediate benefits that traditional medications often fail to deliver. While its antagonistic action at the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is a key mechanism, ketamine's dual nature as both a promising treatment and a drug with abuse potential suggests its therapeutic effects extend...