The role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the antidepressant effect of ketamine / 医学研究生学报

ABSTRACT

Depression is a common mental disease, which is the leading cause of suicide.Ketamine, a commonly used gener-al anesthetic in clinical practice, exerts a rapid and effective antidepressant effect, and reduces suicide ideation in patients with treat-ment-resistant depression quickly.Brain-derived neurotrophic factor ( BDNF) is a neurotrophic factor widely expressed in central nerv-ous system, the increase of which has been shown to be critical in the antidepressant effect of ketamine.This article aims to review the role of BDNF and its downstream signaling pathways in the antidepressant effect of ketamine.