Your Brain On

Your Brain On... Ketamine

Dec 4, 2024

In this discussion, Dr. John Krystal, a Yale Psychiatry and Neuroscience Professor, and Dr. Gerard Sanacora, Director of the Yale Depression Research Program, dive into ketamine’s evolution from anesthetic to mental health treatment. They unveil its rapid antidepressant effects, mechanisms influencing neuroplasticity, and potential to combat neurodegenerative diseases. The conversation also highlights risks, individual response variability, and the critical need for careful dosing and monitoring in therapeutic settings.

44:45

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Episode guests

John Krystal

Gerard Sanacora

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Quick takeaways

Ketamine, primarily known as an anesthetic, has shown potential as a rapid-acting treatment for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.

Despite its promise, concerns about misuse, addiction, and side effects necessitate a clinical framework to ensure responsible administration of ketamine therapies.

Deep dives

Matthew Perry's Death and Ketamine Treatment

The tragic passing of Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, brought attention to the use of ketamine in mental health treatment. His death was attributed to acute effects of ketamine while he was undergoing therapy for anxiety. This incident sparked a broader discussion about ketamine's potential therapeutic applications for conditions like depression, PTSD, and even neurodegenerative disorders. The high-profile nature of the case has encouraged more dialogue regarding the safety and efficacy of ketamine as a treatment option.

Intro

2min

Revolutionizing Depression Treatment with Ketamine

14min

Understanding Ketamine Side Effects and Risks

3min

Exploring Ketamine Therapy: Mechanisms and Applications

14min

Exploring the Dual Nature of Ketamine: Risks and Rewards

2min

Navigating Ketamine's Complexities

8min

For decades, ketamine has mainly been used as an anaesthetic, but in more recent years, it’s gained popularity in mental health treatment.

Conversations around the benefits and risks associated with its therapeutic usage ignited towards the end of 2023, when actor Matthew Perry, star of the sitcom ‘Friends’, died from the acute effects of the ketamine he was using to treat anxiety.

In this episode of ‘Your Brain On...’, we discuss:

• The neurochemical mechanisms of ketamine, and its interplay with depression

• What we know about the opportunities and pitfalls of using ketamine in mental health treatment

• The potential for ketamine use in reducing the impacts of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

• How technology and improvements in passive and active data collection are helping us better understand how ketamine affects cognition and neuroplasticity

• The history of ketamine’s use as an antidepressant

• How ketamine is actually administered, through various dosages and courses of treatment

We’re welcoming two of the leading figures in this space to the podcast: Dr. Gerard Sanacora, who is a Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University and the Director of the Yale Depression Research Program, and Dr. John Krystal, also from Yale: a Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Psychology.

This is... Your Brain On Ketamine.

‘Your Brain On’ is hosted by neurologists, scientists and public health advocates Ayesha and Dean Sherzai.

‘Your Brain On... Ketamine’ • SEASON 4 • EPISODE 2

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LINKS

DR. GERARD SANACORA

Dr. Sanacora at Yale: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/gerard-sanacora/

The Yale Depression Research Program: https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/depression/

DR. JOHN KRYSTAL

Dr. Krystal at Yale: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/john-krystal/

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