Ketamine Glossary
Definitions and plain-language explainers for ketamine terms such as norketamine, enantiomers, NMDA receptor, and clinical measures.
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Glossary articles clarify language used across guides, comparisons, and news pages.
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3 articlesMADRS Score Explained in Ketamine Clinical Trials
MADRS is the 10-item scale most ketamine and esketamine trials use to measure depression severity. Learn how scoring, response, and remission work.
Ketamine Emergence Reaction: Definition & Symptoms
A ketamine emergence reaction is the confusion, vivid dreams, or agitation that can occur as the drug wears off. Learn causes, symptoms, and management.
Ketamine Dissociation Meaning: A Clear Definition
Learn what ketamine dissociation means, why it happens during treatment, and how it differs from other effects. Explore the full glossary.
Dissociative Anesthetic: Definition, Drug Class & Examples
Plain-language guide to dissociative anesthetics, what the term means, which drugs belong to this class, and why ketamine is categorized this way.
Norketamine: Ketamine's Primary Metabolite Explained
What norketamine is, its half-life, pharmacological activity vs parent ketamine, and why this metabolite is central to how oral and sublingual ketamine work.
Enantiomer: Definition and Relevance to Ketamine
An enantiomer is a mirror-image molecular form. Learn how ketamine's two enantiomers, S-ketamine (esketamine) and R-ketamine (arketamine), differ.
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.
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.
Serotonin Syndrome: Risks, Symptoms, and Relevance to Ketamine Therapy
Serotonin syndrome explained: symptoms, drug combinations that trigger it, and why patients on SSRIs or MAOIs need to discuss the risk before starting ketamine.
Racemic Mixture: S-Ketamine and R-Ketamine Enantiomers Explained
A definition of racemic mixture in the context of ketamine therapy, explaining the S and R enantiomers, their different pharmacological profiles, and clinical implications.
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.
mTOR Pathway: Ketamine's Role in Protein Synthesis and Synaptic Growth
A definition of the mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin) signaling pathway and its critical role in how ketamine promotes rapid synaptogenesis and antidepressant effects.
GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid): The Brain's Primary Inhibitory Neurotransmitter
A definition of GABA, the brain's main inhibitory neurotransmitter, and its relationship to ketamine's mechanism of action and therapeutic effects.
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.
Glutamate: The Excitatory Neurotransmitter Central to Ketamine's Action
Glutamate, the brain's excitatory neurotransmitter, and why its post-NMDA-blockade surge is central to how ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects.
Neuroplasticity
What neuroplasticity means, how the brain rewires itself, and why neuroplasticity is central to understanding ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects.
Dissociation
What dissociation means in the context of ketamine therapy, its clinical definition, how it manifests during treatment, and its potential relationship to therapeutic outcomes.
NMDA Receptor
A comprehensive definition and explanation of the NMDA receptor, its role in the brain, its relevance to ketamine therapy, and why it matters for mental health treatment.