Abstract #4346

Real-Time Monitoring of In Vivo Human Brain Amino Acid Neurotransmitter Response to a Single Intravenous Dose of Ketamine in Major Depressive Disorder using the 1H MRS J-Editing Technique

Dikoma C. Shungu¹, Matthew S. Milak², Larence S. Kegeles², Caitlin Proper², Xiangling Mao¹, J. John Mann²

¹Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States; ²Psychiatry, College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY

Acute intravenous administration of single sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine (KET) has been recently investigated as a potentially fast-acting treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). The near immediate anti-depressant effects of KET, a noncompetitive glutamate (Glu) NMDA receptor antagonist, are postulated to involve the drugs stimulation of a rapid increase in brain Glu that may then enhance transmission at metabotropic Glu receptor subtypes. Here, we report the results of a pilot in vivo human brain 1H MRS study that aimed to dynamically monitor Glu changes following acute intravenous administration of KET.