Ketamine Decoded: New Study Sheds Light on Its Powerful Brain and Mood Effects

New research explores how ketamine’s effects on single neurons contribute to significant alterations in the functioning of brain networks.
Ketamine, recognized as an Essential Medicine by the World Health Organization, is utilized for a variety of purposes including sedation, pain management, general anesthesia, and treating treatment-resistant depression. Although its effects on brain-wide activity and its target within brain cells are known, the connection between these aspects has been unclear. A recent study conducted by researchers across four institutions in the Boston area employs computational modeling to explore previously overlooked physiological details. This research provides fresh insights into the mechanisms of how ketamine operates.