The search for medications to alleviate the suffering of those with both depression and anxiety has led to many strange places. Now, one of the most promising drugs that is being looked at with renewed interest is ketamine, known in clubs as “Special K” because of the quick high it brings. It is also used in surgery on both humans and animals as an effective anesthetic.

Ketamine, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), seems to be effective in treating depression in hours, not days or weeks as current medications. The doses being studied are very low and the research is proceeding cautiously.

Not so long ago, we heard that LSD may hold promise for treating certain anxiety disorders, but that research doesn’t seem as promising as ketamine. The research study on ketamine appears in the July 23, 2007 issue of Biological Psychiatry. The director of NIMH, Dr. Thomas R. Insel, believes that this study will point the way to new target areas in the brain that may provide even more promising research into the treatment of depression.

Link to the NIMH release

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Ketamine For Chronic Pain
• Insomnia May Spur Anxiety Disorders

Technorati Tags: ketamine, Special K, anxiety, depression