How ketamine works
Ketamine has shown promise in treating many mental health disorders including depression, anxiety and OCD. Researchers are currently investigating more about its mechanisms of action. The complexity of how it fully works is still unknown. However , here are five key points to help understand how it works:
Ketamine targets the glutamate system: Ketamine works by targeting the glutamate system, a neurotransmitter that regulates communication between brain cells. It specifically targets the NMDA receptor, which is involved in learning, memory, and emotion regulation. Suffering from depression and anxiety can lead to chronic stress being placed on the mind and body. This stress has been shown to de-regulate the glutamate system. It is theorized that ketamine helps “reboot” this system, allowing for the communication between brain cells to be restored.
Rapid onset of action: One of the most interesting features of ketamine as an antidepressant is its rapid onset of action. Patients may experience relief from depressive symptoms within hours to days. This is in contrast to the weeks or months it can take for traditional antidepressants to work. For treatment resistant disease, patients typically notice shifts in their everyday mood and symptoms around the 3rd or 4th treatment. A sense of relief and decrease in acute symptoms is sometimes felt immediately after the first treatment.
Promotes neuroplasticity: Ketamine promotes neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganize itself and form new connections. This mechanism may help to explain its long-lasting effects on depression, as it may be "rewiring" the brain in a positive way. As ketamine attaches to the NMDA receptor, it begins a cascade of changes in the cell that inevitably leads to the release of BDNF, or brain derived neurotrophic factor. BDNF is crucial is signaling neurons to begin creating new connections and synapses. Something that is put on hold when the brain has been under chronic stress.
Reduces inflammation: More and more research has been pointing to the idea that treatment resistant disease is linked to chronic inflammation in the brain. The idea that depression is solely regulated by certain neurotransmitters (serotonin, epinephrine, dopamine) has become outdated. Ketamine has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, which may also contribute to its antidepressant properties. Depression has been linked to increased inflammation in the body, so reducing inflammation may help to alleviate depressive symptoms. By targeting inflammation ketamine is able to reduce symptoms in a way that traditional medications cannot. In a way ketamine is ice to a swollen and inflamed brain, just as ice to a swollen knee helps healing.
Further research required: Ketamine has shown promise as a treatment for depression and many other mental health disorders. However, it is still a relatively new approach that needs further research to fully understand its mechanisms of action, long-term effects, and potential risks and benefits.
