Ketamine increases slow wave sleep/REM and BDNF in MDD patients

[Cotcha Yankinov]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3510337/ - "Compared to baseline, BDNF levels and early sleep SWA (during the first non-REM episode) increased after ketamine. The occurrence of high amplitude waves increased during early sleep, accompanied by an increase in slow wave slope, consistent with increased synaptic strength. Changes in BDNF levels were proportional to changes in EEG parameters. Intriguingly, this link was present only in patients who responded to ketamine treatment, suggesting that enhanced synaptic plasticity - as reflected by increased SWA, individual slow wave parameters and plasma BDNF - is part of the physiological mechanism underlying the rapid antidepressant effects of NMDA antagonists. Further studies are required to confirm the link found here between behavioural and synaptic changes, as well as to test the reliability of these central and peripheral biomarkers of rapid antidepressant response."

Interesting that it seems to be BDNF causing the improved sleep rather than improved sleep causing the increase in BDNF, but I imagine there is a bit of both happening (The above study sites these regarding BDNF improving sleep) - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2597531/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17326538/