Synopsis of paper in Anesthesiology (1998):
Psychedelic effects of ketamine in healthy volunteers: relationship to steady-state plasma concentrations.
Anesthesiology 1998 Jan;88(1):82-8
Bowdle TA, Radant AD, Cowley DS, Kharasch ED, Strassman RJ, Roy-Byrne PP
Department of Psychiatry, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
E-mail: bowdle@u.washington.edu
BACKGROUND
Ketamine has been associated with a unique spectrum of subjective “psychedelic” effects in patients emerging from anesthesia. This study quantified these effects of ketamine and related them to steady-state plasma concentrations.
METHODS
Ketamine or saline was administered in a single-blinded crossover protocol to 10 psychiatrically healthy volunteers using computer-assisted continuous infusion. A stepwise series of target plasma concentrations, 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 ng/ml were maintained for 30 min each. After 20 min at each step, the volunteers completed a visual analog (VAS) rating of 13 symptom scales. Peripheral venous plasma ketamine concentrations were determined after 28 min at each step. One hour after discontinuation of the infusion, a psychological inventory, the hallucinogen rating scale, was completed.
RESULTS
The relation of mean ketamine plasma concentrations to the target concentrations was highly linear, with a correlation coefficient of R = 0.997 (P = 0.0027). Ketamine produced dose-related psychedelic effects. The relation between steady-state ketamine plasma concentration and VAS scores was highly linear for all VAS items, with linear regression coefficients ranging from R = 0.93 to 0.99 (P < 0.024 to P < 0.0005). Hallucinogen rating scale scores were similar to those found in a previous study with psychedelic doses of N,N-dimethyltryptamine, an illicit LSD-25-like drug.
CONCLUSIONS
Subanesthetic doses of ketamine produce psychedelic effects in healthy volunteers. The relation between steady-state venous plasma ketamine concentrations and effects is highly linear between 50 and 200 ng/ml.
Publication Types:
* Clinical trial
* Randomized controlled trial
PMID: 9447860, UI: 98107549
