Ketamine is a prescription medication used to treat depression. It’s also being tested as a potential treatment for other conditions, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Ketamine was developed in the 1960s and ’70s as an anesthetic. It’s currently used primarily in veterinary medicine.
Ketamine may be effective in treating depression, but it hasn’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for this use.
There are some concerns about the safety of ketamine for treating depression, including its potential for abuse. Ketamine can cause side effects that include dizziness, confusion, nausea and vomiting. It can also cause hallucinations during or after administration. Research is ongoing to determine whether these effects are temporary or permanent when taking ketamine long-term.
Ketamine is a commonly used anesthetic drug that has recently been shown to be effective in treating some symptoms of depression and anxiety. While this is an exciting development, ketamine can also be abused as a club drug or street drug, so it is important to understand how it works and the risks associated with recreational use.
Ketamine is a type of dissociative anesthetic that causes feelings of detachment from the body and environment. In addition to being used as an anesthetic for surgery, ketamine has been used in veterinary medicine since 1970 and in human medicine since 1965. It is currently FDA-approved as an anesthetic for use in humans only under careful supervision by qualified medical professionals due to its potential for abuse.
When taken at higher doses, ketamine produces effects similar to those produced by other hallucinogens, including LSD (acid) and PCP (angel dust). These include altered perceptions of sight, sound and touch; difficulty thinking clearly; confusion; agitation; paranoia; amnesia; dream-like states; visual hallucinations; depersonalization (feeling like one’s body or self isn’t real); derealization (feeling like the world isn’t real); dizziness; numbness or tingling in fingers
Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic that has been in use for decades. It can be used to treat depression and anxiety, as well as other conditions.
Ketamine can be used as an alternative to addictive opioids for the treatment of chronic pain.
In low doses (0.1 mg/kg), ketamine can reduce symptoms of depression in patients who have not responded to other treatments.
Ketamine is FDA-approved for treating severe depression that doesn’t respond to other medications.
The effects of ketamine on depression are related to NMDA receptor antagonism and increased activation of AMPA receptors.
Ketamine is a drug that has been widely used as an anesthetic in the medical field. It is also used as a street drug and can be found in many different forms. Ketamine is frequently used by people who are trying to get high or get a buzz from its effects.
Ketamine can be taken in several different ways, including snorted, injected or consumed as a pill. The most common way to take ketamine is by injection, but this can cause serious health concerns.
The effects of ketamine tend to last between 30 minutes and two hours, however there are many other factors that can affect the duration of the drug’s effects on the body. These factors include:
The amount of ketamine taken
How long you have been using ketamine
How much experience you have with ketamine use
Your weight and body mass index (BMI)
Your overall health status
How to use ketamine for anxiety
Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic that has been shown to have rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression. It can also be used to treat chronic pain, PTSD, and other mental health conditions.
Some people are misinformed about ketamine and think it’s only used as a party drug. However, it’s actually an FDA-approved medication that has been used in emergency rooms since 1970 and is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines.
The use of ketamine for anxiety is still in the early stages of research, but there are some initial results that show promise.
The use of ketamine as a treatment for various mental health conditions has been in the news quite a bit recently. The drug has been used as an anesthetic since 1970, but it was only recently that doctors began to realize its potential as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
Ketamine is used primarily as an anesthetic for animals and sometimes humans. It’s been used for decades in both military and civilian settings to provide pain relief during surgery and other procedures. But now doctors are taking another look at this drug because of its potential to treat depression and anxiety.
In fact, several studies have found that ketamine can be effective at treating these issues quickly — usually within hours instead of weeks or months like most antidepressants take to kick in. Also, unlike many other drugs that can cause side effects such as dizziness or insomnia (which can be dangerous if you’re driving or operating heavy machinery), ketamine doesn’t seem to cause any major negative side effects in people who use it regularly over long periods of time.
Ketamine works by changing the way your brain processes information, which helps reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety almost immediately after taking the drug. But there’s still more research needed before we know exactly how effective this treatment will
Ketamine is a drug that has been used for decades as an anesthetic. It has also been used recreationally, but due to its side effects, it is now only available through prescription.
Ketamine can be used for severe depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and pain management. It is also used for rapid treatment of bipolar disorder.
Ketamine is used for several conditions including:
Chronic pain
Depression
Anxiety
PTSD
Ketamine is a drug that has been used as an anesthetic to numb the pain and discomfort that comes with surgery. It is also used in medical settings as a dissociative, which means it can make people feel detached from their body and surroundings.
Ketamine has recently become popular among people who are suffering from depression and anxiety. The drug acts on the brain to produce feelings of euphoria and happiness, which can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
In addition, ketamine has been shown to be effective for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Studies have found that ketamine can help relieve symptoms of PTSD when used in combination with psychotherapy.
However, ketamine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as an antidepressant or PTSD treatment because there hasn’t been enough research into its safety and effectiveness.
New treatments for anxiety 2022
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the United States, affecting more than 18 percent of the population. According to a 2016 report by the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders cost Americans more than $42 billion each year.
In an effort to develop new treatments for anxiety, researchers are exploring how changes in brain chemistry affect anxiety symptoms. They’re also working on ways to prevent these changes from happening in the first place. Here’s what we know so far:
Brain chemistry is linked to anxiety
Researchers have found that people with certain types of anxiety have abnormal levels of certain chemicals in their brains. For example, people with social anxiety disorder tend to have lower levels of serotonin and higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol than people without this condition.
Drugs target specific brain circuits
Some drugs work by targeting specific areas of the brain that control fear and anxiety responses. These drugs include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac or Zoloft or tricyclic antidepressants like Elavil or Tofranil that increase levels of serotonin in your brain by blocking its reabsorption into nerve cells after it’s released. SSRIs also block norepinephrine reuptake into nerve cells, which can help reduce
Anxiety is a common mental health condition that affects people of all ages. It can take many forms, from general unease to extreme fear, and it can lead to physical symptoms like nausea and difficulty breathing.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. In fact, nearly 40 million adults have an anxiety disorder, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). And while anxiety is sometimes treated with medication or behavioral therapy alone, many people prefer complementary treatments like yoga or meditation.
New research suggests that certain natural remedies may help ease symptoms of anxiety while also reducing inflammation. And while they’re not yet proven in clinical trials, these natural remedies appear safe for most people and are widely available with few side effects — making them an attractive alternative for patients who want something other than medication or therapy to manage their anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental illness in the U.S., affecting more than 40 million adults in the U.S. alone, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
But despite their prevalence, anxiety disorders are often misunderstood and under-treated, due in part to their complexity. There are many types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and PTSD. These conditions can be difficult to diagnose because they can look so similar on paper. And there’s no one-size-fits-all treatment for all patients with anxiety disorders.
The good news is that scientists are working hard to develop new treatments for these conditions — some of which may help people who have not responded well to existing treatments or medications.
Here are just a few:
Medical marijuana: Medical marijuana has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety in some people by dampening down overactive brain circuits involved in fear response, according to research published earlier this year in JAMA Psychiatry.
CBD oil: CBD oil is another form of medical marijuana that doesn’t get you high but may still relieve symptoms like nausea, pain and inflammation — all common side effects from anxiety disorders themselves as well as from
Anxiety is a common mental health disorder that affects many people. It’s known as a generalised anxiety disorder, or GAD.
Anxiety is more than just feeling nervous or stressed. In fact, it’s usually made worse by stress. Anxiety can make you feel on edge, tense and irritable. It can also cause physical symptoms such as:
muscle tension
sleep problems
difficulty concentrating
sweating
nausea and diarrhoea
Novel anxiety treatments
Novel anxiety treatments are a promising area for the future of mental health care. Currently, the most successful treatments for anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social phobia, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, these therapies can be difficult to access and some people may not respond well to them.
Therefore, there is an urgent need for more effective treatments. Novel anxiety treatments include several new approaches that are currently being tested in clinical trials. These include:
Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback is a type of biofeedback that uses EEG sensors to measure brain wave activity and provide real-time feedback on your progress. By using this information, you can learn to alter your brain wave patterns in order to reduce symptoms of anxiety. This approach has been shown to be effective in treating GAD in adults and children.
Virtual reality exposure therapy
Virtual reality exposure therapy uses virtual reality goggles to simulate real-life situations that trigger anxiety symptoms in order to help you learn how to cope with them effectively. The treatment has been shown to be effective for treating PTSD as well as phobias such as fear of flying or public
Novel anxiety treatments
Novel anxiety treatments are being developed to address the current unmet needs of people with anxiety disorders. These include:
Antidepressants. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine, paroxetine and sertraline can reduce symptoms of anxiety. However, SSRIs are not recommended for use in children due to the risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts.
Benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are medications that act on GABA receptors in the brain to induce calmness and sleepiness. They have been used for decades but have come under scrutiny because they can be addictive and have serious side effects. For example, benzodiazepines can cause drowsiness and dizziness that may impair driving ability or decrease alertness when working on dangerous machinery such as power tools or farm equipment.
The first new treatment for anxiety in over 60 years has been developed by scientists at Imperial College London.
The drug, called Ro 64-6453, can be given orally and is a novel type of GABA A receptor modulator, which works by targeting the brain’s inhibitory system.
In a study published today in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, researchers found that the drug was able to reduce anxiety-like behaviour in mice by up to 40 per cent within an hour of being given it.
Professor Ed Bullmore from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London said: “This is an exciting development for us because we’ve shown that this compound has the potential to treat anxiety disorders.”
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting over 40 million adults. Anxiety disorders often occur with depression, substance abuse and other mental health conditions.
Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. But if anxiety interferes with your ability to function at home or work then it becomes an anxiety disorder.
The good news is that there are effective treatments for anxiety disorders including medications, psychotherapy and self-help techniques.
Types of Medications for Anxiety Disorders
Breakthrough anxiety medication
Breakthrough anxiety medication
Breakthrough anxiety medication refers to short-term, immediate treatment of symptoms that occur between scheduled doses, such as when a patient is having an anxiety attack. The most common form of breakthrough anxiety medication is an oral form of diazepam (Valium), which is a benzodiazepine drug. Diazepam has been used for decades as a fast-acting sedative and anti-anxiety medication. It works by enhancing the effects of GABA, a neurotransmitter that acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. This means it slows down brain activity and decreases excitability. This allows people with panic disorders to feel more relaxed and less anxious, thus helping them cope with their symptoms better.
Breakthrough anxiety medication is a form of short-term or immediate treatment for people with severe anxiety or panic attacks. This type of medication is not intended to be used on a regular basis, but rather as needed.
Breakthrough Anxiety Medication Uses
This type of anxiety treatment is only used in cases of severe anxiety or panic attacks that do not respond to regular medications. The purpose of breakthrough anxiety medication is to provide relief from symptoms that are occurring at the time, but it should not be used as a long-term solution to treat chronic anxiety.
The most common symptoms that require immediate treatment include:
Severe chest pain – This can be described as an ache or pressure in the chest that causes difficulty breathing
Severe heart palpitations – These are rapid heartbeats that come and go unexpectedly and may feel like your heart has skipped a beat or accelerated its rhythm. They often occur when you are in an anxious state and can cause dizziness, fatigue and nausea.
Extreme weakness – This symptom may occur either suddenly or gradually if you have been dealing with chronic anxiety for a long period of time. It can cause you to feel faint or lightheaded without warning and makes it difficult to perform even simple tasks such as standing up from sitting down
When you have breakthrough anxiety, it’s not always possible to take your regular medication at the right time each day. For example, if you’re getting ready for a big presentation at work or you’re in the middle of a stressful situation, it might be hard to remember to take your medication at the right time.
Breakthrough anxiety medications are designed to treat sudden flare-ups of anxiety. They can also help you prevent anxiety symptoms from coming back after taking other types of anxiety medications for longer periods of time.
Because breakthrough anxiety medications are taken only when needed and do not need to be taken daily like regular anti-anxiety medications, they often have fewer side effects than other types of medication.
Examples of breakthrough anxiety medications include:
A breakthrough anxiety medication, such as a benzodiazepine, is sometimes used to treat panic disorder. It is taken as needed for sudden attacks of anxiety.
People with anxiety disorders who are taking other medications should not suddenly stop taking them without talking to their doctor. However, if your doctor recommends that you stop taking one of your medications and instead take a benzodiazepine, be aware that this can be risky. Benzodiazepines can be addictive and cause withdrawal symptoms when suddenly stopped. Talk to your doctor about using a safer strategy to taper off the medication instead of stopping it abruptly.
Benzodiazepines will not cure panic disorder or any other mental health disorder, but they can provide relief during an acute episode of anxiety or panic symptoms. People with panic disorder who have been on long-term treatment with benzodiazepines should not suddenly stop taking them without talking to their doctor first — doing so could lead to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
Monthly injection for anxiety
Another treatment that is becoming more popular is called monthly injection for anxiety. The medication can be given once a month, and it helps to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. Injections are given in the buttocks or arm, and they contain a small amount of an anesthetic.
The injections work by blocking pain signals from reaching the brain. When pain signals are blocked, it helps to reduce anxiety and stress levels as well.
Injections are not usually recommended for people who have had bad reactions to other types of medications in the past. However, some doctors will prescribe them if they feel that it’s necessary for the patient’s health and well-being.
A monthly injection for anxiety is not a new treatment, but it’s on the rise in the United States.
The drug is called esketamine and it’s used to treat severe depression. Doctors are now experimenting with giving it to patients with severe anxiety disorders, including those who don’t respond to other medications or treatments.
“We’ve seen some pretty dramatic responses in these patients,” says Dr. David Feifel, director of UCSF’s Anxiety Disorders Clinic and Research Program. “It’s a game-changer for some folks.”
Ketamine has been used as an anesthetic for decades but has recently been shown to relieve symptoms of depression more quickly than existing antidepressants — even within hours instead of weeks or months. It works by blocking NMDA receptors in the brain, which play a role in memory formation and learning.
A monthly injection for anxiety has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The drug is called Belsomra, and it’s the first in a new class of drugs known as a melatonin receptor agonist.
Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles — it makes us sleepy when we get dark and wakeful when we get light. The reason that melatonin receptors are being used to treat anxiety is because they are found in many parts of the brain involved in regulating mood, including areas important for sleep, appetite, mood and memory formation.
Belsomra was approved for use only in adults who have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep due to their anxiety disorder, but there are no FDA-approved uses for this drug yet for treating generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder. Clinical trials suggest that Belsomra may be effective at helping people with these disorders fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer than they would if they did not take the drug (but not necessarily better than other sleep medications).
Nervous about needles? There’s a new option for treating anxiety that doesn’t involve the prick of a needle.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the U.S., affecting 18% of adults. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that nearly one-third of U.S. adults experience some type of anxiety disorder at some time in their life.
For people with severe anxiety, medications can help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. But these drugs often have side effects and take time to kick in — and they don’t work for everyone.
Researchers have been looking for alternative treatments that could be more effective and easier to use than drugs. One new treatment could be a monthly injection for anxiety: it’s called esketamine (pronounced es-KEE-ta-meen).
Esketamine is an FDA-approved treatment for depression, but it hasn’t been approved yet for anxiety. Right now, researchers are testing how well it works on different types of anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder (SAD) and general anxiety disorder (GAD).
Injection for anxiety and panic attacks
Injection for anxiety and panic attacks
Injection is a safe and effective treatment for anxiety disorders. It works by targeting the GABA receptors in the brain, which are responsible for calming the body down.
Injection is a safe and effective treatment for anxiety disorders. It works by targeting the GABA receptors in the brain, which are responsible for calming the body down.
It can be used to treat:
panic attacks
severe anxiety
phobias (e.g., fear of flying)
The most common form of treatment for anxiety is medication, but there are other options. If you’re considering a medication-free approach to treating your anxiety, you may want to consider getting an anxiety injection.
Anxiety injections are typically used as a short-term solution to help people get through an event that triggers their anxiety or panic attacks. Once the event is over, the effects of the injection will wear off and the doctor will help you find another method for managing your symptoms.
How does an injection work?
There are several different types of injections that can be used to treat anxiety, including:
Xanax (alprazolam). This type of drug helps relieve both physical symptoms of anxiety like muscle tension and shaking as well as mental symptoms like racing thoughts and difficulty concentrating. Xanax is usually taken orally (by mouth), but it can also be given by injection if necessary.
Ketamine (marketed under brand names Ketalar or Ketaset). This drug is an anesthetic that temporarily blocks pain signals from reaching the brain while also causing relaxation and sedation. It’s sometimes used in emergency rooms because it can produce immediate relief from severe physical pain without the risk of addiction or overdose seen with many other medications
Panic attacks and anxiety can be debilitating, but there are treatments that can help.
A recent study found that injections of botulinum toxin type A (Botox) can reduce anxiety and panic in patients with a history of these conditions.
Botox is a drug that’s commonly used to treat wrinkles and other skin problems. In this study, the researchers injected Botox into the muscles around the eyes of 15 people with a history of panic attacks or anxiety. The results showed that Botox reduced symptoms of panic attacks by almost 50 percent within two weeks after treatment. The effects lasted for about three months before declining.
The researchers say this is the first study showing how Botox can help treat anxiety and panic attacks in people who have had them in the past.
Panic attacks are frightening and debilitating. Xanax (alprazolam) is a drug that has been used for many years to treat panic attacks and anxiety disorders. However, it is not the only option. There are several other medications that can be used to treat panic attacks, including injections of a corticosteroid.
Corticosteroids are hormones that are produced naturally by your adrenal glands. These hormones help regulate how your body reacts to stress. They also help control inflammation and immune system function.
Doctors sometimes prescribe corticosteroids as injections to help reduce inflammation and swelling around injured joints or muscles. The corticosteroid injection may also be used if you have had surgery on your hip, knee or shoulder joint and want to avoid taking oral medications for pain relief after surgery. Doctors will prescribe these injections only if they are certain that there is no other way for you to get adequate pain relief from an injury or surgery without causing additional harm to your body or mind.
New anxiety medication 2022
The next generation of anxiety medication is here, and it’s been a long time coming.
Anxiety disorders are widespread and extremely common, affecting more than 40 million Americans. But when you have an anxiety disorder, it can feel like no one understands what you’re going through — even doctors. That’s because many of the drugs that treat anxiety were developed decades ago, and they don’t work for everyone.
But there’s hope on the horizon. Scientists are making great strides in understanding how to treat anxiety with medications that target specific parts of the brain. In particular, researchers are excited about some new drugs that target glutamate — a neurotransmitter that carries signals between neurons in the brain. Glutamate is involved in many processes related to memory and learning, but it also plays a role in how your brain processes fear and anxiety.
“Glutamate is part of a system in our brain called the fear network,” says Dr. Roy Perlis, director of research at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Experimental Drugs and Diagnostics. “It helps us to recognize things as dangerous or safe.”
Since the FDA approval of Xanax in 1981, many other medications have been created to treat anxiety. Here are six new drugs on the market or coming soon.
Xanax (alprazolam): The original benzodiazepine, Xanax remains a popular choice for anxiety treatment. It’s prescribed 36 million times each year in the U.S., and is used by more than 200 million people worldwide. Side effects include drowsiness and dizziness; some people experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking it abruptly.
Buspirone (Buspar): Buspirone is an anxiolytic drug that works by selectively activating serotonin receptors in the brain to reduce anxiety and stress reactions. It has been available since 1986 but was only recently approved by the FDA for treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The drug works slowly over time, so you may have to wait several weeks before your symptoms begin to subside.
Lorazepam (Ativan): This benzodiazepine medication was approved by the FDA in 1981 as an anticonvulsant but was later found to be effective at treating anxiety symptoms too; it’s now one of the most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines in America (despite having a relatively high risk of addiction).
Anxiety medication is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the United States. The condition is so common that it’s considered a chronic illness, which means it can last for months or years. A new medication called Selank has been found to help people with anxiety and depression. This medication is already in use in Russia and has been tested on hundreds of patients with positive results.
Selank works by activating certain receptors that are involved with stress, anxiety, and depression. It doesn’t work like other medications that are designed to block certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin or dopamine; it works by stimulating these receptors instead. This stimulation helps improve mood and reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety.
Anxiety is a normal and healthy emotion that can motivate you to avoid danger, but it’s still not pleasant.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting more than 40 million adults in any given year. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and panic disorder.
Anxiety disorders are linked with physical health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity, as well as with other mental illnesses, such as depression and substance abuse.
Many people who have an anxiety disorder also face stigma because of their condition. They may worry about being judged by others or being embarrassed or humiliated if they have a panic attack or an episode of extreme worry about a specific event or situation.
Ketamines for anxiety nasal spray
Ketamines for anxiety nasal spray is a new way to treat your anxiety. It is a unique, non-addictive drug that can be used to treat a wide range of mental health issues, including depression and bipolar disorder.
Ketamine for anxiety nasal spray works by targeting the brain’s glutamate system, which is responsible for learning and memory. It also has a strong effect on the brain’s opioid receptors, which are linked to pain relief and euphoria.
Ketamine was first developed as an anesthetic in 1962 and has been used as a veterinary medicine since 1970. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1970 as an anesthetic under the name Ketanest S®. Since then, it has been used to treat chronic pain as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Ketamine is currently available in oral tablet form or through intravenous infusion at hospitals across the country.
Ketamine is a drug that can help with anxiety. It’s not a cure, but it can be an effective treatment for long periods of time.
Ketamine is used as an anesthetic and painkiller, but it has also been used to treat depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
It’s been tried as a treatment for other conditions like bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, fibromyalgia, methamphetamine addiction and alcoholism.
Ketamine can be given in different ways: intravenously (injected into the vein), orally (taken by mouth) or intramuscularly (injected into muscle). And you may only have to take it once or twice to start feeling better.
But ketamine isn’t without risks. It can cause disorientation and confusion during use — these effects are more common when you take ketamine orally rather than through injection — and these effects may persist for several hours after taking the drug.
Ketamine is a medication used to treat depression and anxiety. It comes in a liquid form that you spray into your nose. The medicine does not work quickly, so it may take a few days for you to notice any improvement in symptoms.
What is ketamine?
Ketamine is an anesthetic medicine that can be injected into the spine or used as an inhaled solution (called esketamine). It’s also used as an intravenous (IV) injection given by a doctor in a clinic or hospital.
Ketamine is approved to treat depression and is being studied for other uses, such as treating chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and bipolar depression.
How does ketamine work?
The exact way ketamine works isn’t known. It has some effects on multiple brain chemicals that are thought to be involved in depression and anxiety. These include:
Glutamate: One of the main excitatory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (CNS). Glutamate acts on two types of receptors called NMDA receptors and AMPA receptors. NMDA receptors are thought to be involved with learning and memory processes and may play a role in mood disorders like depression and schizophrenia.
In recent years, ketamine has been used as an alternative treatment for some patients with severe depression.
Ketamine, a powerful anesthetic, has been used for years in veterinary medicine to sedate animals. It is also used as a recreational drug, known as Special K or Kit Kat.
The study involved 40 patients with severe depression who were not responding to other treatments. Most had tried multiple antidepressants and many had previously attempted suicide.
Half of the participants were given an infusion of ketamine, while the other half were given a placebo. The researchers found that 43 percent of those who received ketamine reported having their first symptom-free day after three days, compared with just 11 percent in the placebo group. And 67 percent of those who received ketamine experienced sustained improvement in mood after six weeks, compared with 38 percent of those who received placebo.
In addition, only one person treated with ketamine developed symptoms of psychosis — hearing voices and delusions — compared with eight people who received placebo; seven of them had suicidal thoughts at least once during the study period.