Effect of Subanesthetic Ketamine on Intrinsic Functional Brain Connectivity
Anesthesiology August 13, 2012 Marieke Niesters, Najmeh Khalili‐mahani, Christian H. Martini et al. 141 citations
Low-dose S(+)-ketamine alters the brain's intrinsic large-scale functional connectivity, as measured by resting-state fMRI. In twelve healthy men, ketamine increased connectivity in the cerebellum and visual cortex while decreasing connectivity in auditory and somatosensory networks, including regions involved in pain sensing and affective processing such as the amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate cortex. Pain-related connectivity changes occurred in areas responsible for descending pain inhibition, including the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, orbitofrontal cortex, and brainstem. These connectivity changes correspond to ketamine's known effects on analgesia, psychedelic experiences, and other side effects.