KETAMINE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Recently, actor Matthew Perry's passing, the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office released an autopsy report, stating that Perry died from the "acute effects" of ketamine.

Ketamine

• About: Ketamine is an anaesthetic that has been listed as a hallucinogen by the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

o   It’s referred to as a “dissociative anaesthetic hallucinogen” because it creates a feeling of detachment from pain and the environment.

• First Time Used: In the US, ketamine was first used as an anaesthetic for animals in the 1960s. Around a decade later, the US Food and Drug Administration approved it for humans.

How is ketamine consumed?

• Consumption: Mental health patients typically receive ketamine via IV, nasal spray, or tablet, with a frequency of once or twice a week for a duration of six to eight weeks, and some may require extended usage.

Effects of ketamine

• Therapeutic Effects: During treatment sessions, individuals reported experiencing pleasant visualizations, often accompanied by a sense of existing outside themselves and merging with the universe. 
• Impact on Brain Receptors: The report highlighted that ketamine has gained popularity due to its influence on brain receptors not targeted by traditional antidepressants. 
• Effects at High Doses: When taken in higher doses, ketamine's anaesthetic qualities become more pronounced.