Ketamine Ushering in New Era in the Pharmacology Therapies for Neurological Disorders

FinancialNewsMedia.com News Commentary

PALM BEACH, Fla., July 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For years, ketamine was known for its use as an anesthetic or as a recreational drug. Its ability to provide quick and safe sedation saved many lives during the Vietnam war and is still the preferred anesthetic in battlefield situations. It can be used to induce a kind of trance-like state which wipes away pain. Ketamine may turn out to be more than an anesthesia drug or an illegal means of getting high. While more research needs to be done, recent studies point to its ability to relieve treatment-resistant depression, act as an anti-suicide drug, possibly reduce pain, and even assist in PTSD. "In slightly more than a decade, the emergence of ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects has been viewed by some experts in the field as arguably the most important psychiatric discovery in half a century." said an article on the NIH Natural Library of Medicine website. The NIH continued saying: "Neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide. The increasing social and economic burdens of neurological disorders are driven by global population growth and aging. Depression is a common psychiatric symptom in numerous neurological disorders. It is also a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias, Parkinson's disease (PD), and stroke. The rapid-acting and sustained antidepressant actions of (R,S)-ketamine for severe depression was accidentally discovered. Interestingly, (R)-ketamine has greater potency and longer-lasting antidepressant-like effects than (S)-ketamine in rodents. Importantly, its side effects in rodents and humans are lower than those of (R,S)-ketamine and (S)-ketamine. Furthermore, (R)-ketamine could elicit beneficial actions in various rodent models of neurological disorders, including PD, multiple sclerosis (MS), and stroke." Active companies in the markets this week include: Silo Pharma, Inc. (OTCQB:SILO), Field Trip Health Ltd. (NASDAQ:FTRP) (TSX:FTRP.TO), atai Life Sciences N.V. (NASDAQ:ATAI), Cybin Inc. (NYSE:CYBN) (NEO:CYBN), COMPASS Pathways plc (NASDAQ:CMPS).