The role of dissociation in ketamine's antidepressant effects.
Elizabeth D. Ballard, Carlos A. Zarate
Nature Communications December 22, 2020 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20190-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Esketamine Ketamine |
| Keywords | Ketamine therapy Ketamine treatment Antidepressant ketamine Dissociation Dissociative state Detachment Depression treatment Mood improvement Symptom relief Rapid antidepressant effects Lasting antidepressant effects Therapeutic mechanism Mechanism of action Treatment efficacy Therapeutic link |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key points | Argues that current literature does not support the conclusion that dissociation is necessary for antidepressant response to ketamine. |
Abstract
Ketamine produces immediate antidepressant effects and has inspired research into next-generation treatments. Ketamine also has short term dissociative effects, in which individuals report altered consciousness and perceptions of themselves and their environment. However, whether ketamine's dissociative side effects are necessary for its antidepressant effects remains unclear. This perspective examines the relationship between dissociative effects and acute and longer-lasting antidepressant response to ketamine and other N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists. Presently, the literature does not support the conclusion that dissociation is necessary for antidepressant response to ketamine. However, further work is needed to explore the relationship between dissociation and antidepressant response at the molecular, biomarker, and psychological levels.
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
Cited by 144
- Molecular mechanisms underlying the antidepressant actions of arketamine: beyond the NMDA receptor Molecular Psychiatry May 7, 2021
- Ketamine treatment for depression: a review Discover Mental Health April 15, 2022
- The Antidepressant Actions of Ketamine and its Enantiomers Pharmacology & Therapeutics May 1, 2023
- The anterior cingulate cortex as a key locus of ketamine’s antidepressant action Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews May 10, 2021
- The Psychedelic Future of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Current Neuropharmacology January 5, 2024
and 139 more in the library
Cites 47
- A Randomized Trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate Antagonist in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression Archives of General Psychiatry August 1, 2006
- Subanesthetic Effects of the Noncompetitive NMDA Antagonist, Ketamine, in Humans Archives of General Psychiatry March 1, 1994
- mTOR-Dependent Synapse Formation Underlies the Rapid Antidepressant Effects of NMDA Antagonists Science August 19, 2010
- Activation of Glutamatergic Neurotransmission by Ketamine: A Novel Step in the Pathway from NMDA Receptor Blockade to Dopaminergic and Cognitive Disruptions Associated with the Prefrontal Cortex Journal of Neuroscience April 15, 1997
- NMDAR inhibition-independent antidepressant actions of ketamine metabolites Nature April 24, 2016
and 42 more in the library