Could 'Special K' be a solution for bipolar depression?

Ketamine could help people with bipolar disorder shake off depression. Ketamine was first introduced in 1962 and is legally used as a human, and animal, anaesthetic. It is also used as a 'party' drug when it is known, among other things, as 'Special K'. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland used much smaller doses of the drug than are used recreationally on 18 patients with severe bipolar depression. The patients had tried an average of seven different drugs to treat their illness and 55% had had electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). However, 40 minutes after receiving a ketamine injection the patients depressive symptoms had improved - an effect that lasted for at least three days. Side effects included anxiety, feeling woozy, headaches and a temporary sense of disconnection from reality although there were no 'serious adverse effects.'

You can find out more about this research by clicking on the title of this post.

Study points to ketamine risks

Ketamine - which is often used as a tranquiliser for horses - is the fastest growing drug in the U.K. It is used on the dance scene and can produce effects of sedation, hallucinations and dissociation. Researchers at University College London studied 30 long-term users of the drug and found that it can have severe side effects. The study found that ketamine had a 'profound' impact on short and long-term memory, leading users to become 'dissociated' in their everyday lives and leaving them struggling to remember names and conversations. The drug also made people completely unresponsive to events around them making them more vulnerable to accidents. Ketamine was also linked to symptoms of depression and in the past it has been linked to breathing and bladder problems.

You can find out more about this research at

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/6583913/Ketamine-causes-memory-loss-research-finds.html

Not so Special K

Ketamine - popularly known as Special K - started out as a veterinary anaesthetic but has become increasingly popular as an illegal drug. It is popular in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia and is increasing in popularity in Western countries. However, long-term studies are now starting to reveal its negative effects including poor bladder control, liver damage and kidney problems. A study of 97 ketamine users in Hong Kong also found mental-health problems: 60% of the sample suffered from depression, 31% complained of poor concentration and 23% had memory problems.

You can find out more about the long-term effects of ketamine at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE55P5F220090626?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&sp=true