Ketamine: Benefits and Risks for Depression, PTSD & Neuroplasticity

In this episode, I explain how ketamine causes rewiring of brain
circuits and dissociative states to relieve symptoms of depression
and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I explain how ketamine
impacts both the brain’s glutamate and its endogenous opioid
pathways, which together regulate mood and well-being. I discuss
how ketamine therapy is used clinically to treat major depression,
bipolar depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),
suicidality and other psychiatric challenges. I also describe how
ketamine causes the subjective effects of dissociation and euphoria
and, at higher doses, is an anesthetic. I compare the different
routes of ketamine administration, dosages and forms of ketamine,
and if micro-dosing ketamine is effective. I also highlight the
potential risks of recreational ketamine use (and the colloquial
term ‘K-holes’). This episode should interest anyone interested in
ketamine, treatments for depression, neuroplasticity mechanisms,
psychiatry and mental health. For show notes, including referenced
articles and additional resources, please visit hubermanlab.com.
Use Ask Huberman Lab, our new AI-powered platform, for a summary,
clips, and insights from this episode. Thank you to our sponsors
AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT:
https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab Waking Up:
https://wakingup.com/huberman Momentous:
https://livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Ketamine
(00:02:46) Sponsors: LMNT & Waking Up (00:05:13) Ketamine &
PCP; Clinical & Recreational Use (00:09:00) Depression &
Current Treatments (00:15:17) Preclinical Models of Depression
& Ketamine; “Learned Helplessness”  (00:22:11) Ketamine
& Clinical Uses; Depression & Suicidality  (00:28:32)
Ketamine & Other Psychiatric Challenges; Relief &
Durability  (00:33:40) Sponsor: AG1 (Athletic Greens)
(00:34:29) NMDA Receptor & Neuroplasticity (00:41:36)
Excitatory & Inhibitory Communication, Seizure, NMDA Receptors
& Ketamine (00:48:26) How Ketamine Functions in Brain; Acute
& Long-Term Effects (00:55:36) Brain-Derived Neurotrophic
Factor (BDNF) & Ketamine Therapy (01:03:40) Ketamine &
Opioid Pathway  (01:10:00) Divergent Mechanisms of Immediate
& Long-Term Effects (01:15:45) Habenula, Pro-Depressive
Behaviors & Ketamine Therapy (01:20:36) Ketamine &
Context-Dependent Strategy; Reward Pathway (01:22:45) Dissociative
States (01:26:04) Doses & Routes of Administration; “K-holes”;
Risk & Caution (01:32:25) Ketamine Forms; R-, S- vs R/S-
Ketamine; Micro-Dosing (01:38:24) Ketamine: Effects & Therapy
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