New perspectives on glutamate receptor antagonists as antidepressants

Classical antidepressants elevate the monoamine levels in the brain by preventing re-uptake of monoamines after release. Treatment of depression with monoamine re-uptake inhibitors is associated with low clinical efficacy and remission rate due to the delayed onset of therapeutic responses. Therefore, the development of alternative antidepressants is essential for successful treatment of this disease. Recently, glutamate receptor antagonists including ketamine and 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyridine (MPEP) have received wide attention as fast-acting therapeutic alternatives for treatment of depression.