Stay Informed

Sign up for news & alerts

Already signed up?
Login here

take action
For every $1 states spend dollar sign on substance misuse and addiction, 94 cents go to shovel up the consequences instead of for treatment and prevention. TELL YOUR LEGISLATORS

What Can I Do?



Continuing Education
Free online courses for addiction counselors LEARN ONLINE

Get Help
Need alcohol or drug help for yourself or someone else? GET HELP

 
Ketamine Possible Depression Treatment
May 5, 2008

Share Share Email
Email
Print
Print
SubscribeSubscribe
Research Summary

Ketamine, a drug that started out as a tranquilizer for horses and ended up as a popular club drug, could be useful as a treatment for depression, researchers say.

Reuters reported May 2 that the drug, nicknamed "Special K," seems to calm overactivity in the orbifrontal cortex region of the brain in people with depression. That part of the brain is typically associated with feelings of guilt, dread, and apprehension.

Researchers studied the effect of ketamine on the brain by using brain scans. Past studies found that the drug improved symptoms among depressed individuals within 24 hours, faster than antidepressants like Prozac.

The new study, led by researcher Bill Deakin of the University of Manchester, was published in the February 2008 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
This article summarizes an external report or press release on research published in a scientific journal. When available, links to the sources are provided above.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:
(Comments now appear first to last)

Your Turn! Post a public comment (guidelines):

Name:

Comment:
(limit 250
words)
Enter this word
(help):		 Change

GUIDELINES: 
To keep this feature useful for everyone, please:

  1. Keep it clean, courteous, brief, and on-topic. Comments are for discussion of the above article, not general rants or manifestos. Serial comments intended to circumvent the 250-word limit may be deleted.

  2. Do not post promotional web links, personal information or requests for assistance (get help).

  3. Proof your comments carefully, use good spelling and punctuation, and don't use ALL CAPS. Comments are published immediately and cannot be edited.

Deceptive, slanderous and commercial posts are prohibited. We reserve the right to remove comments. (Report a comment).

Have questions or feedback? Contact us.