Thanks for the review. I admit I am not versed in this subject, but still, one question is bothering me: I think it is central to the idea that mind altering drugs can affect mental illness that they induce a certain kind of experience. It's not strictly about the biochemical effects (insofar as these two can be distinguished). I would therefore not have ever expected ketamine to exert effects on patients under general anaesthesia.
If my critique is valid, blinding is not a methodological challenge but a fundamental impossibility in this kind of study. A better test of the effectiveness of the drug might be to look at patients' reports of their experiences during ketamine trips, and to check whether specific kinds of experiences meditate the effect given the same treatment.
What's really interesting is the combination of EMDR therapy and ketamine or a few other psychedelics. So it's neither solely medication or therapy. I believe there is increasing research in this area.
Excellent review, well appreciated. Few have examined this literature with a clear and dispassionate eye, including Cochrane. Thank you, sir.
It's far less addictive and FAR less dangerous than ANY of the alternatives! And like the others, works for some.
Thanks for the review. I admit I am not versed in this subject, but still, one question is bothering me: I think it is central to the idea that mind altering drugs can affect mental illness that they induce a certain kind of experience. It's not strictly about the biochemical effects (insofar as these two can be distinguished). I would therefore not have ever expected ketamine to exert effects on patients under general anaesthesia.
If my critique is valid, blinding is not a methodological challenge but a fundamental impossibility in this kind of study. A better test of the effectiveness of the drug might be to look at patients' reports of their experiences during ketamine trips, and to check whether specific kinds of experiences meditate the effect given the same treatment.
Acute use in suicidal visitors to ED in Washington state has shown success.
What's really interesting is the combination of EMDR therapy and ketamine or a few other psychedelics. So it's neither solely medication or therapy. I believe there is increasing research in this area.