TITLE

‘Club Drug’ Ketamine Provides Hope in Fight Against Depression

DESCRIPTION

Depression can be devastating!   There are a large percentage of individuals who do not respond to antidepressants or even shock treatment and so suffer from the disorder.   In recent years, ketamine, a drug used as an anesthetic and as an animal tranquilizer has been found (anecdotally and in a small number of studies) to alleviate the symptoms of profound depression.  It’s side effects, as found in recreational drug use, may include hallucinations as well as an out-of-body experience and even dependence as a side effect.  However researchers are now looking at the drug as an antidepressant.  “As more studies are starting to show, ketamine can also be a highly effective way to lift mood. But giving people with depression doses of ketamine could also set them up for addiction; while it rebalances certain brain chemicals pertaining to mood, ketamine also triggers dopamine, a substance with direct links to the reward system.”

SOURCE

Time, May 11, 2016, by Alice Park

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://time.com/4326167/depression-ketamine/

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•What are the symptoms of depression?
•What are the current approved treatments and psychotherapies?
•What is ketamine?  How is it used recreationally? What are the known effects of ketamine on mood?
•According to the article, how does ketamine affect the brain?
•What have studies found regarding the effects of ketamine on depression?