Brain scans reveal how ketamine quickly lifts severe depression

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Source: ScienceDaily Health

Original: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260307213234.htm...

Published: Sun, 08 Mar 2026 19:40:58 EDT

A new brain imaging study has revealed how ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects in people with treatment-resistant depression. The researchers tracked changes in a critical brain receptor that helps neurons communicate. They found that ketamine reshaped its activity in specific areas of the brain associated with mood and reward. These changes strongly correspond to improvement in patients' symptoms. The findings may help develop better ways of predicting who will benefit from ketamine therapy.[1]