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ketamine

·February 14, 2025·4 min read

How Ketamine Binds to Brain Receptors to Alter Mood

New research sheds light on how ketamine affects the brain by targeting a specific NMDA receptor subtype, GluN1-2B-2D. Scientists used electron cryo-microscopy to capture how ketamine binds to this receptor, revealing multiple attachment sites that influence brain activity.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·January 3, 2025·5 min read

Ketamine Offers Hope for Parkinson’s Treatment-Linked Dyskinesia

Researchers have uncovered a new understanding of levodopa-induced dyskinesia, a common side effect in Parkinson’s patients, revealing that the motor cortex disconnects rather than directly causing these movements.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 17, 2024·6 min read

Ketamine Reduces “Giving Up” by Targeting Brain Support Cells

Researchers have found that ketamine’s antidepressant effects target astroglia, a type of brain support cell, rather than neurons, challenging conventional views. Using zebrafish, scientists observed that ketamine suppressed the “giving up” behavior caused by futility signals, an effect linked to astroglial activation.

This shows the molecular structure for ketamine.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 14, 2024·7 min read

“Lifesaving” Low-Dose Ketamine Unlocks Rapid Relief for Depression

Researchers have identified how low-dose ketamine alleviates depression by selectively targeting specific NMDA receptors in the brain. Unlike high-dose anesthetic effects, low-dose ketamine binds to lateral grooves on NMDA receptors, enhancing excitatory transmission and long-term synaptic changes.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 24, 2024·6 min read

Ketamine Tablet Shows Promise for Treating Severe Depression

A new slow-release ketamine tablet has shown potential in treating severe depression, offering a convenient and safe at-home alternative to existing treatments. In a randomized-controlled trial, patients on the highest dose of ketamine saw significant reductions in depression symptoms compared to placebo. The tablet form avoids the dissociative effects associated with other ketamine treatments. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and achieve clinical approval.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 21, 2024·8 min read

Ketamine’s Effect on Brain Activity Revealed

A new computational model reveals how ketamine, a widely used anesthetic and antidepressant, affects brain activity. By simulating the drug's interaction with NMDA receptors, the model explains how ketamine alters neuronal firing patterns, leading to altered states of consciousness and potential therapeutic benefits for depression.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 23, 2024·4 min read

Ketamine’s Key to Unlocking Social Bonding in Depression

Researchers made a significant breakthrough in understanding how ketamine treats depression-related social impairments, focusing on the drug's effects in the mouse model. Their study shows that (R)-ketamine, as opposed to (S)-ketamine, effectively restores neuronal activity in the anterior insular cortex, a region crucial for emotional regulation and social cognition.

This shows a pink brain and a blue brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 12, 2024·7 min read

Ketamine’s Effects Diverge by Sex

Ketamine's effects on depression and pain, and its interaction with opioid pathways, significantly differ between sexes. In a detailed rat study, the team found that blocking opioid receptors nullified ketamine's impact only in males, suggesting a complex interplay between ketamine, opioid systems, and sex hormones.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 8, 2024·10 min read

Ketamine’s Leap from Fringe to Mainstream in Depression Treatment

A new study involving 74 participants, has demonstrated significant promise for intravenous ketamine in treating severe depression and bipolar disorder, conditions often resistant to traditional therapies. This research indicates that after just three ketamine infusions over 11 days, 52% of the participants achieved remission, with half of those frequently experiencing suicidal thoughts witnessing a dramatic decline in such impulses.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 19, 2023·6 min read

Does Drug Effect or Power of Belief Explain Ketamine’s Antidepressant Effect?

Researchers conducted a unique study to uncover the efficacy of ketamine in treating depression, bypassing its unmistakable psychedelic effects by administering it during surgery. Surprisingly, both the ketamine and placebo groups showed substantial improvement in depression symptoms.