The Science

Behind KetaMD

Ketamine is an anesthetic medication that was approved by the FDA for medical use over 50 years ago. For the last 20 years, ketamine has been studied in psychiatric disorders, most specifically for treatment-resistant depression (“TRD”).

TRD is depression that doesn’t seem to get better despite trying numerous antidepressant medications, psychotherapy, and other forms of treatment.

Ketamine has been proven to produce rapid and robust effects in those who suffer from depression.

KetaMD Client

HOW KETAMINE TREATS YOUR DEPRESSION

Broadly speaking, ketamine works with your body’s glutamate system.  Glutamate is an amino acid and the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain.

When glutamate receptors become overactivated, the neural pathways may become dysregulated and result in depressive symptoms.

Ketamine helps by blocking the glutamate receptors while building new neural pathways that lead to a reduction in depressive symptoms.  Relief is often felt within one to two days.

In contrast, conventional antidepressants work on serotonin and norepinephrine pathways, which are the primary targets of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).  

None of the SSRI medications specifically target the glutamate pathway.

For the estimated 30% – 40% of us who fail to achieve recovery with SSRIs, ketamine can be a very effective option.

Ketamine’s rapid-acting antidepressant effects have been widely considered one of the most important breakthroughs for psychiatry in decades.

KETAMINE HELPS IN TWO WAYS

Think of your brain as a garden, and during a depressive episode, your garden becomes filled with weeds.

These weeds trigger negative thoughts, suicidal ideation, and feelings of worthlessness, exhaustion, and “what’s the point.”

When you start to feel a lack of motivation and joy, those weeds have completely taken over the garden and your brain is fighting to survive.

First, by removing the weeds.

Second, by replanting some seeds.

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By removing the weeds, ketamine rapidly blocks the neural networks that are causing a lot of those negative thought patterns.
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Next, ketamine increases the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the “seed” in your brain that helps to produce new neural pathways, opening you to create more positive ways of thinking.

WHAT KETAMINE TREATS

Over the past several decades, ketamine has been revealed to have great potential in the field of medicine, including rapid antidepressant effects for those with severe depressive symptoms including:

  • Low mood
  • Lack of enjoyment
  • Feeling very sad all the time
  • Lack of motivation
  • Low energy/easily fatigued
  • Changes in concentration
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Negative, self-critical thoughts
  • Low self-esteem
  • Feeling life isn’t worth living

If you are experiencing any these symptoms, even after trying traditional antidepressant medications, you may be a great candidate for KetaMD’s program.

KetaMD Client
KetaMD Client

Remarkably, Ketamine Has Shown to Cause the Acute Reduction of Suicidal Ideation.

Even After Just One Treatment.

Ketamine has been studied for other conditions, including anxiety, bipolar mood disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, PTSD, and substance use disorders, and preliminary results are promising.

While KetaMD’s program is focused specifically on treating those with depression, these conditions are often simultaneously present with severe depression, making ketamine treatment a potentially lifesaving option for those in need.

CLINICAL RESEARCH

Ketamine tackles stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, mood disorders, and pain in a unique and dynamic way. Read more about it in these informative articles.

Ketamine Therapy Swiftly Reduces Depression and Suicidal Thoughts

Neuroscience News

Yale Scientists Explain How Ketamine Vanquishes Depression Within Hours

Yale School of Medicine

Oral Ketamine Experiment Reduces Suicidal Thoughts in Over Two-Thirds of Patients

Translational Psychiatry

New Hope for Treatment-Resistant Depression: Guessing Right on Ketamine

The National Institute of Mental Health

Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine

The American Journal of Psychiatry

Rapidly-Acting Treatments for Treatment-Resistant Depression (RAPID)

The National Institute of Mental Health

Oral Ketamine for Depression: Pharmacologic Considerations and Clinical Evidence

The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

Glutamate and Depression: Reflecting a Deepening Knowledge…

The National Center for Biotechnology Information

Real-World Effectiveness of Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression

The Journal of Psychiatric Research

Oral Ketamine for Depression: A Systemic Review

The National Center for Biotechnology Information

Cleveland Clinic Unveils its Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2017

Cleveland Clinic

Ketamine: A Tale of Two Enantiomers

Journal of Psychopharmacology

KETAMINE FAQS