A history of isolation and alcohol use may impact depression treatment

Ketamine can effectively treat depression, but whether depressed patients with alcohol use disorder can safely use ketamine repeatedly remains unclear clinically. To investigate this possibility, Mohamed Kabbaj and colleagues from Florida State University modeled aspects of human depression in rats using long-term isolation and assessed how isolation and alcohol exposure alter ketamine intake. The authors found that a history of isolation and alcohol use influence the rewarding properties of ketamine in a sex-dependent manner. 

Female rats took ketamine more than males in general. Prior alcohol use increased female rat ketamine intake while subsequently changing synapse structure in a reward-related brain region. In males, previous alcohol use and social isolation independently increased ketamine intake. Males that consumed alcohol during social isolation also experienced different synaptic changes in the reward-related brain region during ketamine intake than males who did not have alcohol during isolation. This work suggests that clinicians should consider sex differences and alcohol use history when using ketamine to treat patients. According to the authors, this eNeuro study is informative for clinical research and treatment of major depressive disorder. 

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About eNeuro

eNeuro is an online, open-access journal published by the Society for Neuroscience. Established in 2014, eNeuro publishes a wide variety of content, including research articles, short reports, reviews, commentaries and opinions.

About The Society for Neuroscience

The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 35,000 members in more than 95 countries.