Sleep-administered ketamine/psychedelics: A streamlined strategy to address two challenges in research on ketamine and psychedelics.
Shokouh Arjmand, Mats B Lindström, Carl M Sellgren, Gregers Wegener
European Psychiatry February 5, 2025 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.14 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Ketamine Psychedelics |
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Mechanism of action Rapid-acting antidepressants Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Psychedelic drugs Psychiatric medicine Psychopharmacology Trial protocols Blinding procedures |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Proposes that administering ketamine or psychedelics during sleep could help determine whether dissociative effects are necessary for their antidepressant action and reduce bias in clinical trials. |
Abstract
The dissociative effects of ketamine and psychedelics might be associated with their rapid antidepressant properties, raising questions about whether these effects are necessary for their therapeutic action. Additionally, the distinct dissociative experiences often reported by patients in clinical trials may reveal whether they receive an active treatment or a placebo, potentially introducing bias into the results. In this viewpoint, we propose administering ketamine/psychedelics to patients during sleep, offering a novel approach to address and explore these challenges.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| From PCP to MXE: a comprehensive review of the non-medical use of dissociative drugs. | 2014 | Historical analysis | |
| A Dendrite-Focused Framework for Understanding the Actions of Ketamine and Psychedelics | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Neuroscience and the Near-Death Experience: Roles for the NMSA-PCP receptor, the sigma receptor and the endopsychosins | 1990 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| A unified model of ketamine's dissociative and psychedelic properties. | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| An Integrative Approach to Ketamine Therapy May Enhance Multiple Dimensions of Efficacy: Improving Therapeutic Outcomes With Treatment Resistant Depression. | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- Blinding and expectancy confounds in psychedelic randomized controlled trials Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology May 26, 2021
- Case analysis of long-term negative psychological responses to psychedelics Scientific Reports September 25, 2023
- Ketamine and Serotonergic Psychedelics: Common Mechanisms Underlying the Effects of Rapid-Acting Antidepressants The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology November 16, 2020
- Randomized trial of ketamine masked by surgical anesthesia in patients with depression Nature Mental Health October 19, 2023
- Are “mystical experiences” essential for antidepressant actions of ketamine and the classic psychedelics? European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience February 27, 2024
and 3 more in the library