Glossary Articles
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Compounding Pharmacy: Custom Ketamine Formulations Explained
How compounding pharmacies prepare ketamine: troches, lozenges, nasal sprays, 503A vs 503B oversight, FDA limits, and what to ask before ordering.
Glutamatergic System: The Excitatory Signaling Network Behind Ketamine's Effects
An overview of the glutamatergic system, the brain's primary excitatory neurotransmitter network, and its central role in how ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects.
Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD): Definition, Criteria, and Significance for Ketamine
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) defined: clinical criteria, the two-failed-trials threshold, and why TRD is the primary indication for ketamine therapy.
First-Pass Metabolism: How Liver Processing Affects Oral Ketamine
A definition of first-pass metabolism, the hepatic processing that reduces oral drug bioavailability, and its specific impact on oral ketamine formulations.
Schedule III Controlled Substance: Ketamine's DEA Classification Explained
Why ketamine is a Schedule III controlled substance: DEA criteria, prescribing rules, refill limits, telehealth implications, and how it compares to II and IV.
Sub-Anesthetic Dose: The Therapeutic Range for Ketamine in Depression
A definition of sub-anesthetic dosing, the low-dose ketamine range used to treat depression, including typical dosages, rationale, and how it differs from anesthetic use.
Default Mode Network: How Ketamine Disrupts Depressive Thought Patterns
The default mode network (DMN) drives rumination in depression. Learn how ketamine disrupts DMN connectivity and why that matters for treatment.
AMPA Receptor: Its Role in Ketamine's Antidepressant Effect
A glossary entry on the AMPA receptor, explaining what it is, how it functions, and why its activation is essential to ketamine's rapid antidepressant mechanism.
Arketamine (R-Ketamine): The Promising Enantiomer Under Investigation
Learn about arketamine (R-ketamine), the less-studied enantiomer of ketamine showing promise as a next-generation antidepressant with fewer side effects.
Bioavailability: Understanding Ketamine Absorption by Route
Bioavailability shows how much ketamine actually reaches the bloodstream. See how it ranges from 100% IV to 17-24% oral and what that means for dosing.
Synaptogenesis: How Ketamine Promotes New Synaptic Connections
Synaptogenesis is the formation of new synapses. Learn how ketamine triggers rapid synapse growth through NMDA, BDNF, and mTOR signaling.
BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor): Definition and Role in Ketamine Therapy
Learn what BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) is, how it supports brain health, and why it is central to ketamine's rapid antidepressant mechanism.