PET Imaging of mGLuR5 With Drug Challenge
This study is designed to look at the involvement of the glutamate system in depression using PET/fMRI; n=79 with a ketamine drug challenge during one PET scan.
Details
Participants undergo screening, up to two fMRI scans and up to three PET scans with cognitive testing at each session; one PET scan includes a drug challenge to provoke glutamate release.
Primary aims are to determine the acute effect of medication-induced glutamate release on mGluR5 availability and to assess cognitive effects and potential synaptogenesis measured by PET and MRI post-challenge.
Hypotheses include decreased mGluR5 after ketamine/NAC, improvements in memory and attention after challenge, and detectable increases in mGluR5 availability and MRI changes indicating synaptogenesis.