Psychedelic effects of subanesthetic doses of ketamine / 中国医学科学院学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the psychedelic effects in healthy volunteers when given subanesthetic dose of ketamine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirteen male healthy volunteers aged 24-39 years were enrolled. All subjects received subanesthetic doses of ketamine using target control infusion. A stepwise series of target plasma concentrations (0, 100, 200, and 300 ng/ml) were maintained for 20 minutes each. Visual analogue scale (VAS) of mechanical pain by von Frey hair was evaluated, and then the volunteers completed a VAS rating of 13 symptom scales. Pictures were shown to them at the same time. Heart rate, mean blood pressure, and SpO2 were monitored throughout the infusion.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>During the process of analgesia, ketamine produced dose-related analgesic effects. With the increase of ketamine dose, some psychedelic effects became more obvious and the memory impairment became worse stepwisely.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Target control infusion of subanesthetic doses of ketamine produce obvious psychedelic effects in healthy volunteers.</p>