Stay up to date with the latest clinical research about Psychedelic Holistic Medicine
The Science of Ketamine Therapy
Therapy rediscovered
The effectiveness of ketamine assisted therapy has emerged from being a relatively well guarded secret since it's discovery over 50 years ago. In recent years, the “rediscovery” of the use of ketamine as a springboard to mental health care has offered new hope for long struggling patients dealing with depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD and a raft of other conditions.
Safe, fast and effective
Clinical research continues to show that ketamine —deemed an “essential medicine” by The World Health Organization— can lead to safe, rapid, effective patient outcomes when administered under the guidance of trained clinicians.
Finding meaning
Further, ketamine remains a prime vehicle for exploration of consciousness and finding meaning and purpose. Although not classified as a psychiatric condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) - the standard manual used in psychiatry - existential crisis and meaning making are both defining characteristics and challenges of being a human. Psychedelics in general, and ketamine specifically, have been used across the mental health continuum since its launch in 1970.
The Science of Ketamine Therapy
Therapy rediscovered
The effectiveness of ketamine assisted therapy has emerged from being a relatively well guarded secret since it's discovery over 50 years ago. In recent years, the “rediscovery” of the use of ketamine as a springboard to mental health care has offered new hope for long struggling patients dealing with depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD and a raft of other conditions.
Safe, fast and effective
Clinical research continues to show that ketamine —deemed an “essential medicine” by The World Health Organization— can lead to safe, rapid, effective patient outcomes when administered under the guidance of trained clinicians.
Finding meaning
Further, ketamine remains a prime vehicle for exploration of consciousness and finding meaning and purpose. Although not classified as a psychiatric condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) - the standard manual used in psychiatry - existential crisis and meaning making are both defining characteristics and challenges of being a human. Psychedelics in general, and ketamine specifically, have been used across the mental health continuum since its launch in 1970.
Browse a selection of journal articles on the range of therapies we offer and conditions we treat at Caire.
JANUARY 10, 2024
Comprehensive Brain Mapping Unveils the Varied Influence of Ketamine on the Dopamine System
Malika Datta and colleagues present a fresh perspective on the impact of ketamine on the dopamine system in the brains of mice, shedding light on its potential implications for mood regulation and metabolism.
Key findings include:
Ketamine led to a reduction in dopamine neurons in the midbrain, providing insight into the potential development of schizophrenic-like symptoms with prolonged use.
Conversely, it resulted in an increase in dopamine neurons in the hypothalamus, suggesting potential avenues for treating eating disorders.
This study emphasizes the need for a targeted approach in ketamine treatments to mitigate potential adverse effects and optimize therapeutic outcomes.
JANUARY 2023
Dose-related effects of ketamine for antidepressant-resistant symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in veterans and active duty military: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multi-center clinical trial
This study tested the efficacy of repeated intravenous ketamine doses to reduce symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans and service members with PTSD (n = 158) who failed previous antidepressant treatment were randomized to 8 infusions administered twice weekly of intravenous placebo (n = 54), low dose (0.2 mg/kg; n = 53) or standard dose (0.5 mg/kg; n = 51) ketamine. Participants were assessed at baseline, during treatment, and for 4 weeks after their last infusion. Primary analyses used mixed effects models. The primary outcome measure was the self-report PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and secondary outcome measures were the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). There were no significant group-by-time interactions for PTSD symptoms measured by the PCL-5 or CAPS-5. The standard ketamine dose ameliorated depression measured by the MADRS significantly more than placebo. Ketamine produced dose-related dissociative and psychotomimetic effects, which returned to baseline within 2 h and were less pronounced with repeated administration. There was no evidence of differential treatment discontinuation by ketamine dose, consistent with good tolerability. This clinical trial failed to find a significant dose-related effect of ketamine on PTSD symptoms. Secondary analyses suggested that the standard dose exerted rapid antidepressant effects. Further studies are needed to determine the role of ketamine in PTSD treatment.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
AUGUST 31, 2020
Low Dose Intravenous Ketamine in Treatment Resistant Depression Patients
The primary goal of the project is to study the effect of Ketamine on cortical neurophysiological function in Treatment Resistant Depression(TRD) patients. There are three key preclinical findings regarding Ketamine antidepressant effects that motivate the current study: a) low dose Ketamine causes early increase in glutamate neurotransmission; b) Ketamine initiates synaptic plasticity; c) ketamine infusion leads to rapid improvement in depression symptoms. The proposal essentially employs robust and non-invasive neurophysiological techniques, Auditory Steady State Response(ASSR)-gamma oscillatory response and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation(TMS) cortical excitability to investigate the above findings in patients with treatment resistant depression.
JANUARY 14, 2024
Maintenance ketamine treatment for depression: a systematic review of efficacy, safety, and tolerability
Ketamine has rapid effect in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Different strategies have been proposed to prolong these effects. Maintenance ketamine treatment appears promising, and to be of therapeutic potential.
DECEMBER 14, 2023
Ketamine versus ECT for Nonpsychotic Treatment-Resistant Major Depression
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and subanesthetic intravenous ketamine are both currently used for treatment-resistant major depression, but the comparative effectiveness of the two treatments remains uncertain.
Ketamine was the same if not more effective than ECT as therapy for treatment-resistant major depression without psychosis.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
JANUARY 11, 2022
Ketamine for Treatment Resistant Late-Life Depression
The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a single infusion of ketamine (KET), to determine which dose is optimal 7 days after infusion using Bayesian Adaptive Randomization, and to learn about how ketamine works in the body and brain in persons with late-life treatment resistant depression.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
MARCH 2020
Ketamine Infusion for Adolescent Depression and Anxiety
We will conduct a crossover trial in which as many as 36 adolescents (18 with MDD and 18 with anxiety disorders) will be given a single infusion of ketamine (study drug) or midazolam (active control). MDD symptoms and anxiety symptoms will be monitored over a two-week period. If applicable, comorbid school refusal symptoms will also be monitored over a two-week period for both cohorts. A 2-week washout period will be required between infusion doses. Our primary outcomes will be 1) improvement in MDD symptoms (measured by Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, revised (MADRS) score) 1 day after infusion, for the cohort of subjects enrolled in the MDD arm of this trial and 2) improvement in the anxiety symptoms (measured by the Multimodal Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) acute physical symptoms subscale) for the cohort of subjects enrolled in the anxiety disorders arm of the trial.
JANUARY 2022
Depression, Estrogens, and Neuroinflammation: A Preclinical Review of Ketamine Treatment for Mood Disorders in Women
Ketamine has been shown to acutely and rapidly ameliorate depression symptoms and suicidality. Given that women suffer from major depression at twice the rate of men, it is important to understand how ketamine works in the female brain. This review explores three themes. First, it examines our current understanding of the etiology of depression in women. Second, it examines preclinical research on ketamine's antidepressant effects at a neurobiological level as well as how ovarian hormones present a unique challenge in interpreting these findings. Lastly, the neuroinflammatory hypothesis of depression is highlighted to help better understand how ovarian hormones might interact with ketamine in the female brain.