For questions about this event, please reach out to Veronica Lemme at lemmev@health.missouri.edu.

"Enhancing the Efficacy and Safety of Ketamine for Depression" 

Presented by: Dr. Hwei-Hsien Chen, Senior Investigator, Center for Neuropsychiatric Research (CNPR), National Health Research Institute

Adjunct Professor, National Chengchi University and China Medical University, Taiwan

Date: Jan. 30, 2023, 4-5 p.m.

Location: Tom and Linda Atkins Family Seminar Room, Roy Blunt NextGen Precision Health Building

Virtual option available

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Description

Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic agent. Recent studies have shown that ketamine induces remarkable rapid-onset antidepressant effects. Although ketamine therapy is a safe and effective way to alleviate symptoms associated with anxiety and depression, the abuse liability, psychosis and cognitive impairment are concerns of repeated ketamine use. Dr. Chen focused on the development of novel adjunctive therapy, which can promote therapeutic efficacy and concomitantly, to avoid the adverse effects of ketamine. Dr. Chen will talk about the potential compounds identified and granted a patent.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Hwei-Hsien Chen is currently an investigator at the Center for Neuropsychiatric Research and the director of the animal behavioral core at the National Health Research Institute (NHRI), Taiwan. She received her PhD in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology in 1998 from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Before joining NHRI in 2012, Dr. Chen served as a faculty member in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Tzu Chi University since 1998. She is the recipient of the 2010 Distinguished International Scientist Award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She is primarily involved in animal studies on drug addiction and psychiatric disorders to develop innovative treatment strategies.