One common query among novices is, “Are there going to be any changes occurring in my brain that I am going to feel during this session?”
Well, the answer is generally yes, but not in the way most people expect. This shift is commonly experienced.
There are indeed changes going on in the brain that are neurobiological and are very real.

What is Taking Place in Your Brain While Undergoing Ketamine Therapy

To understand how does ketamine-assisted therapy work, it starts at the neurochemical level.
First, ketamine is an antagonist of the NMDA receptor!
It is referred to as inhibiting a particular receptor of the neurotransmitter known as glutamate that is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain.
Glutamate is a critical component of the neural circuit activation process, and most importantly, in the brain formation of new synapses and the strengthening of existing ones.
This is what is called synaptic plasticity.

Here is where it is interesting.
Ketamine blocks the work of the NMDA receptor and causes the overflow of glutamate through some of its additional pathways, leading to a burst of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) – a form of protein that is believed to be the fertilizer for the neurons.
BDNF strengthens the formation of new synaptic links, and forms new neural tracks in the prefrontal cortex and in the hippocampus – the two regions which are affected the most by chronic depression and PTSD.

This process of the creation of new synaptic connections is also known as synaptogenesis.
One of the numerous reasons why ketamine can bring nearly immediate (within a few hours) relief to patients with their mood symptoms, as opposed to other conventional antidepressant drugs that may require weeks before they start to work.

What Happens in Sessions?

The session experience itself offers a good window into why it works.
Here’s what the experience often involves while your brain does the lifting biochemically:

• Dissociation – gentle detachment from the self and the environment, which many report as a peaceful experience as opposed to a confused one
• Perceptual experiences – impacts on the clarity and precision of experience in some combination of colors, sounds, or thoughts
• Emotion – neutral or released; some experience a calm, while others emotionally process openly and more fully
• Floating – a reduction in awareness of the physical body, and the associated rumination and hypervigilance

All of these experiences are attributed to the effects of ketamine on the default mode network (DMN) of the brain; that is, the self-referential brain systems responsible for rumination and the internal (self) mental narrative.
When the DMN is quiet, so is the inner critic.

What Happens After a Session is as Important as the Session Itself

This is the part that gets discussed the least.
Ketamine infusions open what is called a neuroplasticity window – a period of time that is approximately 24–72 hours where the brain is primed to develop new pathways, or to create new ways to do old things.
During this period, what the patient chooses to do can influence how these new pathways become established.
This is why many clinicians suggest the following activities within the window:

• Integration therapy – speaking to a therapist to help process some of the insights or emotions that come up
• Journaling – useful as a way of capturing the thoughts, emotions, or mental images that might feel strong or vivid
• Rest and low stimulation – to avoid old patterns that might be reinforced by the stressors
• Mindfulness – gentle meditation or breathwork to reinforce calm neural states

Sessions at Eterne Wellness are carefully designed and medically supervised to help the patient to utilize the window intentionally, not to endure it.

Related – Is Combined TMS and Ketamine Therapy the Answer for Treatment-Resistant Depression?

Does Everyone Feel The Rewiring?

It is completely normal not have a strong or vivid experience.
Regardless of how strong or weak the experience, the neurobiological changes occur.
Patients often struggle to articulate a change in how they view a situation or problem.
In other cases, people note that they “feel” different, like when they wake up one day and the years of burden that have altered their mood and changed their outlook on life seem to have lifted.
This isn’t a placebo. This is the result of a process that most people have no idea is happening (also known as synaptic remodeling).
The process of how ketamine works is still being studied.

What Does Ketamine Therapy Treat?

• Persistent depression – the patients have used two or more antidepressants and have not experienced any relief
• Primary depression with anxiety – depression as the predominant illness
• PTSD – particularly when the trauma memories are still recurrent and disruptive
• Active suicidal thoughts – ketamine has been shown to have rapid effects in reducing suicidal thoughts in research

Due to this, the initial step in the process is a thorough clinical assessment.

Are You Ready to See If You Qualify for Ketamine Therapy?

We are Eterne Wellness in Las Vegas, and we focus on creating an individualized, clinically informed approach to ketamine therapy for depression, anxiety, and PTSD in a therapeutic space.
Our team is ready to guide you in case you need to find the best ketamine treatment in Las Vegas.
Eterne Wellness is widely recognized as offering the best ketamine treatment in Las Vegas, NV, for patients who have not found relief through traditional methods.
You do not have to continue to wait long to see if traditional treatment works – different options for relief are available.

Start by booking a consultation with our team so you can start to feel like yourself once again.

FAQs

How many ketamine treatments for PTSD does it take to notice a difference?

Most patients have a treatment series of 6 infusions over a 2–3-week period!

Is ketamine therapy dangerous?

Not if done by a professional! Dissociation during therapy is only temporary, and is done so in a controlled manner and in a controlled environment.

How long do ketamine effects last?

Every patient is different. However, many patients report significant improvement in their symptoms for several weeks and even months.

Does ketamine help schizophrenia?

No. Ketamine is generally not recommended for individuals with schizophrenia or a personal history of psychosis.
Due to its psychotomimetic nature – that is, its ability to cause temporary imitation of psychotic symptoms – it can aggravate the condition.
A thorough clinical evaluation always screens for this before treatment.

This blog has an educational purpose. One cannot legally substitute it with medical advice. Always consult a medical professional to guide your treatment.