Background N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, like ketamine, produce a rapid-acting and long-lasting antidepressant effect. Although the mechanism is not completely understood, ketamine is thought to preferentially target N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors on fast-spiking parvalbumin-containing interneurons. The function of parvalbumin-containing interneurons is dependent on perineuronal ne...

BACKGROUND Clinical studies demonstrate that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, ketamine, induces rapid antidepressant effects in patients with refractive major depressive disorder and bipolar depression. This rapid onset of action makes ketamine a highly attractive drug for patients, particularly those who do not typically respond to therapy. A recent study suggested that gly...

Background Observations of drug-related cues may induce craving in drug-dependent patients, prompting compulsive drug-seeking behavior. Sexual dysfunction is common in drug users. The aim of the study was to examine regional brain activation to drug (ketamine, cigarette smoking) associated cues and natural (sexual) rewards. Methods A sample of 129 [40 ketamine use smokers (KUS), 45 non-ketami...

We studied the effects of ketamine, an antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, on (1) the spontaneous saccades, (2) the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), and (3) the optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) in 8 cats. Ketamine was given intramuscularly at four dosages (1, 2, 8, and 16 mg/kg). Eye movements were measured using the magnetic field-search coil technique. Ketamine did not prevent the occu...

Background Vomiting is a common side effect of ketamine in children's sedation and there is still controversy about the use of an anti-emetic drug along with ketamine to reduce this complication. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ondansetron in controlling vomiting induced by intramuscular (IM), and intravenous (IV) ketamine for procedural sedation and analgesia in chil...

therefore their side-effects on these systems could be reduced by administering a combination of them at a lower dose.[9] In recent studies done on patients undergoing ECT, it showed that using sub-anesthetic ketamine and low-dose propofol could increase the seizure duration, provide hemodynamic stability and earlier recovery compared with the use of a full dose of propofol alone. In a study by...

Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, is widely used for analgesia and anesthesia in obstetric and pediatric practice. Recent reports indicate that ketamine causes neuronal cell death in developing rodents and nonhuman primates. The present study assessed the potential dose- and time-dependent neurotoxic effects and associated changes in gene expression after ketamine ad...

PURPOSE Ketamine is commonly used in pediatric anesthesia but may cause neurodegeneration in young brains. The aim of the study is to use an animal model to characterize the role of microRNA 137 (miR-137) in ketamine-induced neurodegeneration in neonatal hippocampus. METHODS Young Sprague-Dawley Rats (1 month old) was systemically administrated with ketamine (75 mg/kg) for 3 days. TUNEL assay...

BACKGROUND There is poor experimental evidence concerning the effects of anesthetic doses of the noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine on rodents' memory abilities. The current study was designed (1) to investigate the consequences of posttraining administration of anesthetic ketamine (100 mg/kg intraperitoneally) on rats' recognition memory and (2) to evaluate the ab...

UNLABELLED We designed this double-blinded, randomized, controlled study to evaluate the effect of small-dose ketamine IV in combination with epidural morphine and bupivacaine on postoperative pain after renal surgery. An epidural catheter was inserted, and the administration of morphine and bupivacaine was started before surgery. Forty patients were assigned to one of two groups (ketamine or c...