Kjartan Frisch Herrik

Principal Scientist, H. Lundbeck A/S

Title: Rapid Acting Anti-depressants void of Psychotomimetic Effects – Is it possible?

Abstract

I will try to cover some of the findings that came out of the last few years of NMDAR modulation studies in the Lundbeck laboratories and together with collaborators. The main focus is on electrophysiological methods from ex vivo brain slice to human EEG. Our aim was to best capture short and long term effects of different types of NMDAR modulators in order to understand the psychotomimetic and antidepressant potential of these types of compounds. Along the way we refined our translational capabilities and learned important lessons about the importance of timing, locomotor state and site of interaction on the NMDAR.