An ever-growing body of scientific research has proven that low-dose intravenous (IV) ketamine infusions can also have transformative effects on the brain that effectively “reboot” it to treat various mental health conditions including treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, and more.
Full Answer
Why is ketamine infusion therapy so effective?
Researches state that the effect of Ketamine lasts longer than the regular antidepressant drugs. Ketamine helps to stimulate new synapses and receptors in brain, thus helps to fight bad mood, sleep better and concentrate better. What Can Ketamine Treat? Ketamine for depression is very effective, as it improves communication between the brain cells.
How does ketamine relieve symptoms of depression?
The trial will aim to test the hypothesis that twice-weekly infusions of ketamine as an add-on to existing treatment could improve depression outcomes. The trial will also test a secondary hypothesis that ketamine treatment could lead to a reduction in healthcare costs and an improved quality of life for people suffering from depression.
What is IV ketamine infusion therapy?
When ketamine is administered through a slow, constant intravenous (IV) drip, it has calming and extremely therapeutic effects on the regions of your brain that control mood and behavior. With its ability to provide quick and lasting relief for even the most persistent cases of TRD, ketamine has been called the most important breakthrough in the treatment of depression to come along in recent memory.
Does ketamine help with anxiety?
Ketamine, particularly intravenous generic racemic ketamine, shows promise in treating anxiety. There is research-supported evidence that it can help with social anxiety disorder, and several studies on ketamine for depression also indicate a reduction in anxiety symptoms.
Why do we need ketamine infusions?
This is the main rationale for the use of ketamine infusions to treat chronic pain and psychiatric conditions that are not responsive to conventional therapeutic options. Many studies have shown increased NMDA expression and activity in animal models of chronic pain.
Can infusions cause headaches?
Other possible side effects include nausea and rarely a headache. These side effects can also be managed and often eliminated during the infusion therapy. Following the completion of a daily infusion regimen, patients are usually tired for several hours and need to be accompanied home by a responsible adult.
Is ketamine a polypharmacology?
Ketamine exhibits extensive polypharmacology that has yet to be fully understood in the context of CRPS. This has led some to regard the drug as “a pharmacologist’s nightmare” because there is not one clear defining mechanism of action.
Is ketamine a new drug?
Ketamine is not a new drug. It has been used for five decades in human and veterinarian medicine. Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that was introduced into clinical practice in 1970. At anesthetic doses it results in a complete loss of consciousness while preserving certain protective reflexes.
Is ketamine a psychedelic?
Still, ketamine is a derivative of phencyclidine (PCP) a known psychedelic and if not combined with sedation can cause hallucinations in many patients. You will be given a benzodiazepine to control this dysphoria. Other possible side effects include nausea and rarely a headache. These side effects can also be managed and often eliminated during the infusion therapy. Following the completion of a daily infusion regimen, patients are usually tired for several hours and need to be accompanied home by a responsible adult. We have yet to observe any long-term side effects that can be attributed to low dose intravenous ketamine therapy. Furthermore, ketamine is not highly addictive like more common FDA approved analgesics like opioids.
What Is Ketamine Infusion Therapy?
Ketamine, originally developed as anesthesia, was first discovered to work similarly to antidepressants as early as 1975. 1 Early reports from street ketamine users showed promise in its antidepressant effects, 2 but they were dismissed because it was an illegal substance.
Why is ketamine infusion therapy considered a transformative treatment?
Ketamine infusion therapy has been hailed as a transformative treatment because of its high rate of response.
How does ketamine work?
It is thought that ketamine infusions work by inducing the production of glutamate, 9 a neurotransmitter in the brain. Abnormal levels of glutamate have been linked with depression. The glutamate leads the brain to form new connections and repair damaged ones, increasing its adaptability.
How long does ketamine last?
Intramuscular: A single shot of ketamine is injected into one of your larger muscles (thigh or arm), and similarly to intravenous, the experience lasts around 40 minutes, and is administered in a hospital or an office setting.
When was ketamine first discovered?
Ketamine, originally developed as anesthesia, was first discovered to work similarly to antidepressants as early as 1975. 1 Early reports from street ketamine users showed promise in its antidepressant effects, 2 but they were dismissed because it was an illegal substance.
How do new neural pathways help you?
The new neural pathways—think of them as new roads in your brain—allow you to create more positive thoughts and, therefore, behaviors. This is compared to traditional antidepressants, which only work as long as they are in your system.
Is ketamine infusion the best?
Ketamine infusions have been shown to be the kind of ketamine treatment that your body absorbs the best, 5 but they are not the only kinds of ketamine treatment out there. Which one you go with may depend on your preferred setting (clinic vs. home) and, of course, the price.
Why is it important to adjust ketamine?
This is important because to some degree it parallels the intensity of the effect ketamine achieves at the molecular level. Dr. Herman will adjust the amount of ketamine your brain sees from session to session, SLOWLY, in order to maximize its effects and minimize the potential for unpleasant experiences.
How does ketamine work?
By contrast, ketamine affects the transmission of a larger number of neurotransmitters in the brain. This multilayered effect creates ideal conditions for a “reboot,” or resetting the mind’s innate ability to heal itself.
What is the effect of ketamine on the brain?
Ketamine, on the other hand, acts on a wide number of receptors in the brain. This multilayered effect creates ideal conditions for a “reboot,” resetting the mind’s innate ability to heal itself. One part of the brain that ketamine targets is the most common neurotransmitter, glutamate. At low doses, ketamine boosts production ...
Is ketamine used for surgery?
What is Ketamine therapy? Ketamine is an anesthetic medication that’s been FDA-approved for use in surgery since the 1970s. But pain relief is far from its only advantage. An ever-growing body of scientific research has proven that low-dose intravenous (IV) ketamine infusions can also have transformative effects on the brain ...
When was ketamine first approved?
It was first FDA-approved for anesthesia in 1970. The amount given during an infusion for mental health treatment is just a fraction of the dose safely used in sedation during surgery. But ketamine’s mental health applications are still considered “off-label” uses of the drug, meaning they are emerging treatments that the FDA hasn’t ...
Does ketamine help with mental health?
Ketamine can reverse that process and the symptoms that come with it—effectively rebooting the brain and reacquainting patients with their foundation, values, and intentions. At low doses, ketamine also relaxes the mind and gives it a break from cyclical thoughts and stories.
Does ketamine cause nausea?
You may also have a lingering unpleasant headache, mild dizziness, or nausea. Just know that despite these physical sensations, the ketamine is starting to work on the growth of depression-stunted neurons and synapses in the brain.
How long does it take for ketamine to work?
Ketamine infusions work very quickly — often within hours — to ease depressive symptoms. While researchers are still trying to pinpoint the mechanisms behind this powerful effect, they do know that ketamine stimulates a rapid increase in glutamate.
What is the effect of ketamine on the brain?
When ketamine is administered through a slow, constant intravenous (IV) drip, it has calming and extremely therapeutic effects on the regions of your brain that control mood and behavior .
What is glutamate used for?
As the main neurotransmitter that encourages the growth of synapses in your brain, glutamate helps strengthen and restore vital neural connections and pathways in the regions of the brain that are most impaired by depression; these new connections help induce beneficial changes in brain circuit function.
Is ketamine good for depression?
Despite the fact that ketamine offers major benefits in the treatment of persistent depression, no treatment is perfect. The drawbacks of ketamine have to do with its dissociative effects and potential addictive properties.
Is ketamine a first line therapy?
It’s also a medication with fast-acting antidepressant properties that mental health experts have been studying with deep interest for over 20 years. While ketamine isn’t considered a first-line therapy ...
Is ketamine a one and done treatment?
Ketamine infusion therapy isn’t a “one-and-done” treatment that “cures” depression in a single session, but it’s also not like conventional antidepressants that must be taken daily for years on end (or for as long as they work).
Is ketamine approved for use only after a comprehensive evaluation?
Approved for use only after a comprehensive evaluation. Received in a ketamine-certified clinical setting. Administered and monitored by an experienced provider. The potential for immediate side effects also means that someone else must drive you to and from your treatment session.
Is ketamine approved for general anesthesia?
Though ketamine only has FDA approval for use in induction and maintenance of general anesthesia in surgical procedures , it is still part of the vast majority (70%) of drugs that are prescribed off-label for at least one use and has been observed to have valid and significant therapeutic effects. The strength of the dose administered depends on the symptoms for which the patient is seeking treatment:
Is ketamine a miracle drug?
As compared to traditional methods of treatment for both chronic pain and the aforementioned mood disorders, ketamine seems to be nothing short of a miracle drug. In addition to being able to block or increase the levels of glutamate available in the brain depending on the dose administered, ketamine also functions in a manner that inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Since ketamine is able to target all of these receptor sites, it has a broader ability to treat symptoms that vary across comorbid disorders than the antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications widely available today.
Will Ketamine Infusion Therapy Work for Me?
Here at Mindscape Ketamine and Infusion Therapy, we know how much mental illness and chronic pain can negatively impact your day-to-day functionality, and we’re here to help! If you or someone you know is suffering from any of the aforementioned treatment-resistant psychiatric or pain-related disorders, therapeutic ketamine treatment for depression could be the option that finally brings relief. Still wondering, “What is ketamine treatment, and how could it help me?” Contact our office to schedule a free consultation today to find out how therapeutic ketamine could work to improve your quality of life!
What is the name of the drug that is used to treat depression?
The drug is a nasal spray called esketamine, derived from ketamine—an anesthetic that has made waves for its surprising antidepressant effect.
Is ketamine an antidepressant?
And this is exactly what makes ketamine unique as an antidepressant, says Dr. Krystal.
Is ketamine a club drug?
Others worry that since ketamine is sometimes abused (as a club drug called Special K), there may be a downside to making it more readily available—it might increase the likelihood that it will end up in the wrong hands. Also, esketamine is only part of the treatment for a person with depression.
Does esketamine help with depression?
Because treatment with esketamine might be so helpful to patients with treatment-resistant depression (meaning standard treatments had not helped them), the FDA expedited the approval process to make it more quickly available. In one study, 70 percent of patients with treatment-resistant depression who were started on an oral antidepressant and intranasal esketamine improved, compared to just over half in the group that did not receive the medication (called the placebo group).
Is esketamine a first line treatment for depression?
For these reasons, esketamine is not considered a first-line treatment option for depression.
Does ketamine cause dizziness?
But like any new drug, this one comes with its cautions. Side effects, including dizziness, a rise in blood pressure, and feelings of detachment or disconnection from reality may arise. In addition, the research is still relatively new. Studies have only followed patients for one year, which means doctors don’t yet know how it might affect patients over longer periods of time. Others worry that since ketamine is sometimes abused (as a club drug called Special K), there may be a downside to making it more readily available—it might increase the likelihood that it will end up in the wrong hands.
Can esketamine be taken with nasal spray?
This means that patients need a lower dose of esketamine than they do ketamine. The nasal spray allows the drug to be taken more easily in an outpatient treatment setting (under the supervision of a doctor), making it more accessible for patients than the IV treatments currently required to deliver ketamine.
