Acute low-dose ketamine produces a rapid and robust increase in plasma BDNF without altering brain BDNF concentrations.
Martin Le Nedelec, Paul Glue, Helen Winter, Chelsea Goulton, Lucy Broughton, Natalie J. Medlicott
Drug delivery and translational research June 2018 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-017-0476-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats |
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Dose | 10 mg/kg |
| Duration | 240 min |
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Bdnf Biomarker Major depression Treatment resistant |
| Key findings | A single 10 mg/kg ketamine dose produced a rapid, sustained (240-minute) increase in plasma BDNF in rats, but no changes in brain BDNF in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, or cortex, and no correlation between peripheral and central BDNF. The authors suggest peripheral BDNF is unlikely to be a useful biomarker of acute central BDNF changes after ketamine. |
Abstract
Peripheral BDNF changes after ketamine administration have been proposed as a biomarker for brain BDNF changes. However, published data are conflicting and come from studies in paired animal groups. This study determined the time course of plasma BDNF concentrations following the administration of a single 10 mg/kg dose of ketamine by different routes of administration in rats. Brain BDNF concentrations in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and cortex were measured in the same animals. Ketamine administration resulted in a rapid and robust increase in plasma BDNF concentrations that were sustained for 240 min. In contrast, there were no changes in brain BDNF concentrations in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus or cortex and there were no correlations between peripheral and central BDNF concentrations. These data suggest that peripheral BDNF is unlikely to be a useful biomarker of acute central BDNF changes following ketamine.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| mTOR-Dependent Synapse Formation Underlies the Rapid Antidepressant Effects of NMDA Antagonists Rats | 2010 | Observational study | |
| Activation of Glutamatergic Neurotransmission by Ketamine: A Novel Step in the Pathway from NMDA Receptor Blockade to Dopaminergic and Cognitive Disruptions Associated with the Prefrontal Cortex Conscious rats | 1997 | Dose-response study with microdialysis and behavioral testing | |
| NMDAR inhibition-independent antidepressant actions of ketamine metabolites Mice | 2016 | Preclinical study | |
| The dissociative anaesthetics, ketamine and phencyclidine, selectively reduce excitation of central mammalian neurones by N‐methyl‐aspartate Spinal neurons in decerebrate or pentobarbitone-anaesthetized cats and rats | 1983 | Experimental study | |
| R-ketamine: a rapid-onset and sustained antidepressant without psychotomimetic side effects Mice | 2015 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023
- Eradicating Suicide at Its Roots: Preclinical Bases and Clinical Evidence of the Efficacy of Ketamine in the Treatment of Suicidal Behaviors International Journal of Molecular Sciences September 23, 2018
- Safety and efficacy of extended release ketamine tablets in patients with treatment-resistant depression and anxiety: open label pilot study Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology 2020
- Effects of subanesthetic intravenous ketamine infusion on neuroplasticity-related proteins in the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus of Sprague-Dawley rats IBRO Reports January 16, 2019
- The effects of ketamine and classic hallucinogens on neurotrophic and inflammatory markers in unipolar treatment-resistant depression: a systematic review of clinical trials. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience February 1, 2023
and 9 more in the library
Cites 12
- A Randomized Trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate Antagonist in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression Archives of General Psychiatry August 1, 2006
- mTOR-Dependent Synapse Formation Underlies the Rapid Antidepressant Effects of NMDA Antagonists Science August 19, 2010
- Antidepressant Efficacy of Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression: A Two-Site Randomized Controlled Trial American Journal of Psychiatry August 28, 2013
- A Randomized Add-on Trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate Antagonist in Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Depression Archives of General Psychiatry August 1, 2010
- Concomitant BDNF and sleep slow wave changes indicate ketamine-induced plasticity in major depressive disorder The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology June 7, 2012
and 7 more in the library