affect levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine — brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters that help regulate mood, emotion, and sometimes pain.
depression
Most drugs for
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affect other neurotransmitters, in different ways. One of these is glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter that binds to nerve cells to help messages travel from one cell to the next.
NMDA receptor antagonists
or GABA. One of GABA’s important roles is to block messages between nerve cells.
gamma-aminobutyric acid
The other neurotransmitter affected by NMDA receptor antagonists is
Because these neurotransmitters have opposite actions, the brain typically functions best when they are in balance.
NMDA receptor antagonists help maintain this balance.
These drugs tend to work faster than conventional antidepressants to relieve symptoms.
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They may also be more effective for hard-to-treat depression and for relieving thoughts of self-harm.
