http://goo.gl/4O2hBL
Psychiatrists investigating depression have been energized in recent years by reports of rapid, successful treatment with drugs that interfere with the brain chemical glutamate, such as the anesthetic ketamine.
New research from Emory University School of Medicine is providing hints as to which forms of depression may respond best to drugs that target glutamate.
High glutamate and myo-inositol levels in the basal ganglia were associated with patients' reports of anhedonia, an inability to experience pleasure, and slow motor function, as measured by finger tapping speed.
"We focused on the basal ganglia because we had previously seen that a treatment for hepatitis C virus that arouses inflammation and can trigger depressive symptoms could also increase glutamate levels there," Haroon says.