Reduced auditory evoked gamma-band response and schizophrenia-like clinical symptoms under subanesthetic ketamine
Neuropsychopharmacology February 6, 2019 S. Ćurić, G. Leicht, S. Thiebes et al.
Ketamine, a glutamate receptor blocker, reduced auditory-evoked gamma-band brain oscillations and phase locking in 25 healthy volunteers, while also increasing schizophrenia-like symptoms, altered states of consciousness, and reaction times. Source analysis showed decreased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex. Only negative symptoms were linked to the reduction in gamma-band power. These results suggest the glutamate system contributes to abnormal gamma oscillations and negative symptoms in schizophrenia, supporting the NMDAR hypofunction hypothesis.