Summary
In this podcast episode, host Peter Etia interviews Celia Morgan, who has a background in psychology, pharmacology, and astrophysics, about ketamine and its effects. Ketamine is an analog of PCP and works by dissociating the body from the mind. It is used as an anesthetic and is also used to treat depression, particularly in adolescents. Ketamine works on the NMDA receptor, which is important for learning and memory. The speaker discusses the potential for addiction to different substances, including ketamine, opioids, and benzos. The addictive potential of ketamine is not well characterized, but it is believed to have physical withdrawal symptoms.
The context discusses the use of ketamine as a treatment for depression. Ketamine works on glutamatergic receptors and causes a dissociative experience similar to psilocybin and LSD, but with less anxiety. Ketamine is administered intravenously at a dose of 0.5 milligrams per kilogram, and the response to the drug is highly variable. About 50% of patients with treatment-resistant depression do not respond to ketamine treatment, but some may respond after a higher number of doses. The therapeutic effects of ketamine are rapid and can provide relief for treatment-resistant depression.
The speaker discusses the potential benefits of using ketamine as a treatment for depression and other psychiatric disorders. They explain that ketamine works by increasing synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex, which allows the brain to form new connections and learn new things. The speaker also mentions that ketamine disrupts the brain's prediction error processing, leading to a noisier signal and potentially affecting subjective experiences. They caution against using ketamine during therapy sessions and recommend doing therapy outside of ketamine infusions.
The context discusses a study on using ketamine and therapy to treat alcohol addiction. The study involved 96 patients and found that the group receiving ketamine and therapy had the strongest reductions in drinking and greatest abstinence rates at 86% at six months. The therapy included mindfulness practice, cognitive behavioral therapy, and planning techniques to help patients deal with cravings and addictive impulses. Patients had to go through a screening process to be included in the study and had to be abstinent before starting therapy.
Overall, the conversation highlights the potential benefits and concerns of using ketamine as a treatment for depression and addiction. While there is still a lack of research on the long-term effects of ketamine use, studies have shown promising results in treating depression and addiction when used in conjunction with therapy. However, caution must be taken to avoid potential abuse and unsupervised use of ketamine.
