The Impact of AMPA Receptor Blockade on Ketamine’s Anti-suicidal Effects
2022 Standard Research Grant
Amount Awarded: $100,000
Focus Area: Clinical Treatment Studies
Naomi Driesen, Ph.D.
Yale School of Medicine
Inside the Research
Initial evidence indicates that ketamine, which is an effective, rapid antidepressant, reduces suicidal thoughts. This research probes whether this effect depends on stimulating a particular brain receptor called the AMPA receptor (AMPAR). It tests a key hypothesis regarding the mechanism behind ketamine treatment for suicidal ideation and depression. It may help produce a new generation of medications that could rapidly reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors through drugs that enhance AMPAR function, potentially saving many lives.