# s-brain: a safer way to rapidly treat depression

It was <<  identified a brain circuit that brings about the beneficial effects of ketamine. The circuit sends signals between the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex >>

<< activating the circuit in rats causes antidepressant-like effects similar to those caused by ketamine, whereas preventing activation of the circuit eliminates the antidepressant-like effects of ketamine >>

<< The idea is, if one part of the brain contributes to the beneficial effects of ketamine, and another part contributes to its abuse and effects such as hallucinations, now we can come up with medications to target the good part and not the bad >>

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-12/uoth-tib122115.php

F R Carreno, J J Donegan,  et al.   Activation of a ventral hippocampus–medial prefrontal cortex pathway is both necessary and sufficient for an antidepressant response to ketamine. Molecular Psychiatry, 2015; DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.176

http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/mp2015176a.html