Effects of Subanesthetic Ketamine Administration on Visual and Auditory Event-Related Potentials (ERP) in Humans: A Systematic Review
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience April 16, 2018 André Schwertner, Maxciel Zortéa, Felipe Vasconcelos Torres et al. 48 citations
Subanesthetic doses of ketamine alter cortical responses to sensory stimuli, as measured by event-related potentials (ERPs). A systematic review of 18 studies found that ketamine reduces certain ERP components (N2, P2, P3 amplitudes, PN, and MMN) while leaving others stable or increased (P50 reduction, PPI, P1, and N1 amplitudes). These changes suggest ketamine modifies how the brain perceives contrast between visual and auditory stimuli. The analgesic effect may stem from decreased affective discrimination of sensory information, a finding from schizophrenia research that also informs treatment of mood disorders, pain, and ketamine abuse.