The Subjective Response to Nitrous Oxide is a Potential Pharmaco-Endophenotype for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Preliminary Study with Heavy Drinkers.
The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology April 1, 2017 Katie Walsh, Ravi K Das, Sunjeev K Kamboj
Heavy drinkers with a family history of alcohol-use disorders show a distinct subjective response to nitrous oxide (N2O) inhalation compared to those without such familial risk. During 50% N2O inhalation, the 23 participants with an ostensible family history reported a higher ratio of stimulant to sedative effects than the 37 without that risk. This pattern closely resembles that previously observed with ketamine, suggesting a common mechanism involving N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). N2O may offer a safer, more accessible alternative to ketamine for studying heritable NMDAR dysregulation in neuropsychiatric disorders.