Acute Ketamine Modulated Functional Brain Coupling and Dissociative and Affective States in Human Subjects: Interim Analyses
bioRxiv Preprint Server September 20, 2021 Laura M. Hack, Katherine G. Warthen, Xue Zhang et al. 2 citations preprint
Ketamine, a drug used for depression and anesthesia, causes dose-dependent increases in dissociation and intoxication, reduces emotional insensitivity, and raises stress as measured by cortisol. It alters brain connectivity, particularly between reward and negative affect circuits and thalamic sub-regions. Increased coupling between the amygdala and anteroventral thalamus correlates with greater dissociation and intoxication, while decreased coupling of anteromedial and posterior parietal thalamus correlates with increased sensory reward responsiveness. Drug-altered connectivity involving the nucleus accumbens and thalamic sub-regions shows negative associations with anxiety. These findings help disentangle the brain states underlying ketamine's acute effects, informing its therapeutic use and abuse risk.