This is not the first trial of ketamine used under clinical anaesthesia to disguise its effects. A previous study using similar methods in 2018 found the usual effects of surgery: a transient increase in depressive symptoms. I'm no expert but my inclination is to blame this on postoperative pain.
The confidence interval in the new study includes zero, although the average beneficial effect is still surprising when considering the usual expected negative effects. I suspect that the real effect may simply be that general anaesthesia causes a susceptibility to suggestion.
It's not clear if ketamine — or anything else — should be expected to work normally when it is administered to patients under general anesthesia. General anesthesia has profound effects on the functioning of the nervous system.
> It's not clear if ketamine — or anything else — should be expected to work normally when it is administered to patients under general anesthesia. General anesthesia has profound effects on the functioning of the nervous system.
Very much this! Additionally when discussing ketmaine it's method of action (NMDA receptor antagonist) specifically could be disrupted by the effects of another anesthetic compound.
Ketamine IV or compound medication without any other drugs is so profoundly different from Ketamine as part of a procedure where you’re otherwise unconscious.
Sorry my question was not clear - I’m curious about the difference between experiencing Ketamine administered during general anesthesia (like I did) vs administered when conscious (same dosage).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000709121...
The confidence interval in the new study includes zero, although the average beneficial effect is still surprising when considering the usual expected negative effects. I suspect that the real effect may simply be that general anaesthesia causes a susceptibility to suggestion.
It's not clear if ketamine — or anything else — should be expected to work normally when it is administered to patients under general anesthesia. General anesthesia has profound effects on the functioning of the nervous system.