Ketamine activates opioid system to treat depression

A new study finds that ketamine's acute antidepressant effect requires opioid system activation, the first time that a receptor site has been shown in humans to be necessary for any antidepressant's mechanism of action. While opioids have been used historically to treat depression, they are known to carry a high risk of dependence.

from Health & Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2LDPzhs