Update on Ketamine and Glutamate-Related Basic Science Findings
Claus Normann (Germany)

Key Insights:

• Esketamine is the first approved treatment for depression with a glutamatergic mechanism of action.
• Glutamate plays a major role in neuroplasticity.
• (Es)ketamine promotes neuroplasticity by distinct mechanisms: increase of glutamate, binding to subunits of NMDA receptors and/or AMPA receptors, binding to the TrkB-BDNF receptor. 
• A modulation of neuroplasticity can be demonstrated in animal models of depression as well as in humans.
• Current research focusses on more selective glutamatergic mechanisms that preserve rapid antidepressant action while avoiding dissociative side effects.

Is Genetics Useful for Routine Clinical Treatment?
Alessandro Serretti (Italy)

Key Insights:

• The outcome of depression treatment is largely modulated by genetic factors.
• Polygenic risk scores are promising for outcome prediction and possible drug choice and repurposing.
• AI LLM methods are potential strategies for developing more effective predictive algorithms in the future.

Transdiagnostic Biomarkers of Treatment Response and Resistance
Chiara Fabbri (Italy)

Key Insights:

• Treatment response and resistance are complex phenomena with a highly polygenic component.
• Omics biomarkers not limited to genomics may be important predictors of treatment outcomes, e.g., proteomics.
• The study of trans-diagnostic symptom dimensions should complement categories to identify biomarkers of treatment outcomes.
• Considering symptom dimensions within and among categorical diagnoses can aid in the development of new effective medications.