Subanaesthetic ketamine and altered states of consciousness in humans
British Journal of Anaesthesia April 13, 2018 Phillip E. Vlisides, Tarik Bel‐bahar, Amanda Nelson et al. 117 citations
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Phillip E. Vlisides
Michigan Medicine
2 papers in the library · 117 citations · publishing 2018-2025
Papers
General anesthesia dissociates discrete components of ketamine neurophysiology
medRxiv August 7, 2025 Ben Deverett, Duan Li, Theresa R. Lii et al. preprint
Ketamine produces dissociative, analgesic, and antidepressant effects, but it is unclear whether its underlying neurophysiological signatures can be separated. In this observational cohort study, 52 participants (healthy volunteers, elective surgery patients, and patients with depression) received a subanesthetic infusion of ketamine or placebo, with or without general anesthesia. When ketamine was given under general anesthesia, its characteristic low-frequency brain wave augmentation was absent, while high-frequency power modulation was preserved. This selective modulation suggests a method for investigating the distinct roles of high- and low-frequency neural activity in ketamine's behavioral effects.