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Subanesthetic dose of ketamine decreases prefrontal theta cordance in healthy volunteers: implications for antidepressant effect

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 December 2009

J. Horacek ,
M. Brunovsky ,
T. Novak ,
B. Tislerova ,
T. Palenicek ,
V. Bubenikova-Valesova ,
F. Spaniel ,
J. Koprivova ,
P. Mohr  and
M. Balikova
...Show all authors
J. Horacek*
Affiliation:
Prague Psychiatric Centre, Prague, Czech Republic Centre of Neuropsychiatric Studies, Prague, Czech Republic Third Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
M. Brunovsky
Affiliation:
Prague Psychiatric Centre, Prague, Czech Republic Centre of Neuropsychiatric Studies, Prague, Czech Republic
T. Novak
Affiliation:
Centre of Neuropsychiatric Studies, Prague, Czech Republic
B. Tislerova
Affiliation:
Third Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
T. Palenicek
Affiliation:
Centre of Neuropsychiatric Studies, Prague, Czech Republic Third Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
V. Bubenikova-Valesova
Affiliation:
Prague Psychiatric Centre, Prague, Czech Republic Centre of Neuropsychiatric Studies, Prague, Czech Republic
F. Spaniel
Affiliation:
Prague Psychiatric Centre, Prague, Czech Republic Third Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
J. Koprivova
Affiliation:
Centre of Neuropsychiatric Studies, Prague, Czech Republic Third Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
P. Mohr
Affiliation:
Prague Psychiatric Centre, Prague, Czech Republic
M. Balikova
Affiliation:
Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, First Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
C. Hoschl
Affiliation:
Prague Psychiatric Centre, Prague, Czech Republic Centre of Neuropsychiatric Studies, Prague, Czech Republic Third Medical Faculty of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
*
*Address for correspondence: Prof. Dr J. Horacek, Ph.D., Prague Psychiatric Centre, Ustavni 91, 181 03Prague 8, Czech Republic. (Email: horacek@pcp.lf3.cuni.cz)
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Abstract

Background

Theta cordance is a novel quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) measure that correlates with cerebral perfusion. A series of clinical studies has demonstrated that the prefrontal theta cordance value decreases after 1 week of treatment in responders to antidepressants and that this effect precedes clinical improvement. Ketamine, a non-competitive antagonist of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, has a unique rapid antidepressant effect but its influence on theta cordance is unknown.

Method

In a double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled experiment we studied the acute effect of ketamine (0.54 mg/kg within 30 min) on theta cordance in a group of 20 healthy volunteers.

Results

Ketamine infusion induced a decrease in prefrontal theta cordance and an increase in the central region theta cordance after 10 and 30 min. The change in prefrontal theta cordance correlated with ketamine and norketamine blood levels after 10 min of ketamine infusion.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that ketamine infusion immediately induces changes similar to those that monoamineric-based antidepressants induce gradually. The reduction in theta cordance could be a marker and a predictor of the fast-acting antidepressant effect of ketamine, a hypothesis that could be tested in depressive patients treated with ketamine.

Keywords

Depressionhealthy volunteersketamineQEEGtheta cordance
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 40 , Issue 9 , September 2010 , pp. 1443 - 1451
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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