Key points
A new study probes ketamine’s diverse brain impacts for depression treatment insights.
Ketamine shows complex neural patterns, affecting inhibitory and excitatory brain circuits.
Understanding ketamine’s varied responses is crucial for developing personalized depression therapies.
Ketamine , a strong anesthetic, is growing increasingly popular for its potential in treating treatment-resistant depression . The effectiveness, however, is varied with only some patients feeling the benefits. A recent study led by Flora Moujaes at Yale University investigates ketamine’s effects on brain activity and behavior in healthy individuals, revealing complex neural patterns. Understanding these nuances could lead to more targeted treatments for depression, offering hope for those who have not responded to conventional antidepressants .
Ketamine is an NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor antagonist, a drug that binds to and blocks the NMDA receptor, which is a type of glutamate receptor in the brain. Ketamine prevents the binding of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate to the NMDA receptor, thereby reducing the influx of calcium into nerve cells. This can have various effects, relieving pain, working as an anesthetic, or impairing memory .
Ketamine was developed in the 1960s to be used as a battlefield anesthetic in the Vietnam War as well as in health care settings. It was historically used in highly regulated and supervised health care facilities but its usage has changed significantly since then. How Ketamine Is Used Today
Ketamine is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration as an anesthetic and is widely used for short, painful procedures that require immobilization. It’s often used for sedation in emergency departments, operating rooms, wound care clinics, and ambulances.
While ketamine has only been approved as an anesthetic, it is also used “off-label” for other purposes. Because it has pain-relieving effects similar to morphine or fentanyl, it is used for pain management , including cancer pain and other chronic illnesses.Ketamine is also used recreationally for its dissociative and hallucinogenic effects, often in party or club settings, but this has significant dangers and health risks, including respiratory issues, psychosis , memory loss, and the potential for overdose, especially when combined with other substances like alcohol or […]
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