Medically Assisted Tripping –
June 14, 2019 – How is ketamine different from other antidepressants? Most depression drugs, including Prozac, are part of a class known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. They work by blocking the re-absorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin, increasing the supply available in the brain. Ketamine works on the neurotransmitter glutamate, which is considered crucial in learning and memory formation. While SSRIs can take weeks or months to take effect, ketamine has been shown to begin working in as little as a few hours, making it the first rapid-acting depression drug. Another psychedelic drug that’s long been frowned-upon, so-called magic mushrooms, or psilocybin, also being studied as a potential treatment for depression.
