31-Jan-2012 *HOUSTON* : Ketamine, a powerful anaesthetic drug that is used as a horse tranquiliser and is also sold illegally among clubbers as a recreational drug, may be able to offer instant relief to people suffering from depression.
The class C drug is currently being tested on patients with severe depression at the Neuro Psychiatric Center of Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston, Texas <http://www.bcm.edu/psychiatry/index.cfm?pmid=1807>. Ketamine reduces sensations in the body<http://www.talktofrank.com/drug/ketamine>, giving those who take it a feeling of detachment from their mind and body. It also has hallucinogenic properties, making it popular among clubbers. Researchers are hopeful that the drug could offer an almost instant anti-depressant effect. As the anti-depressants currently available on the market take a few weeks to take effect, researchers hope Ketamine could offer a solution to bridge the gap when patients are at their most vulnerable, it was reported in the *Daily Mail<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2094250/Ketamine-Club-drug-offer-instant-remedy-severe-depression.html> *. The trial participants were divided into two groups. One is taking an infusion of ketamine while a control group has been administered with another form of sedative to compare the results. One trial patient, mother-of-three Heather Merrill, who believes she has been taking the ketamine, told National Public Radio in the US how she felt 24 hours after her treatment: “It was almost immediate, the sense of calmness and relaxation. No more fogginess. No more heaviness. I feel like I'm a clean slate right now. I want to go home and see friends or, you know, go to the grocery store and cook the family dinner.” If the current trial, which tests the short-term effects of ketamine, is successful, researchers will run a second study to look at the drug’s long-term effects in treating depression. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/31/ketamine-instant-cure-depression-study_n_1244232.html -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia?hl=en ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers
