Asian journal of psychiatry
October 1, 2024
An-Nie Chung, Ming-Chyi Huang, Tung-Hsia Liu et al.
5 citations
People who develop persistent psychosis from heavy, chronic ketamine use show the highest blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NFL), a marker of nerve cell damage, compared to ketamine users without persistent psychosis, people with schizophrenia, and healthy controls. NFL levels averaged 24.5 pg/mL in ketamine users with persistent psychosis, 12.9 pg/mL in those without, 9.2 pg/mL in schizophrenia patients, and 6.2 pg/mL in controls. Ketamine dependence was linked to higher NFL than schizophrenia, and the elevated NFL in those with persistent psychosis suggests a distinct neurobiological basis for this condition, even though its symptoms resemble schizophrenia.
The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse
September 2, 2024
Ming-Chyi Huang, Li-Jung Chiang, Wan-Hsi Chien et al.
Females with ketamine use disorder have lower leptin levels than healthy females, and those lower levels persist even after two weeks of abstinence. In contrast, males with ketamine use disorder show leptin levels similar to healthy males at the start of abstinence, and their leptin levels increase after two weeks of abstinence. Leptin is a hormone linked to addiction, and these sex-specific differences may be relevant for understanding recovery from ketamine dependence.
Medical hypotheses
February 1, 2016
Ming-Chyi Huang, Lian-Yu Chen, Chih-Ken Chen et al.
Ketamine, a derivative of phencyclidine (PCP), has dissociative, analgesic, and psychedelic properties and is increasingly used recreationally. Preclinical studies show its reinforcing effects and that long-term abuse leads to delayed, persistent upregulation of the dopamine system. Concerns exist about its addiction liability, but no effective pharmacotherapy is available for treatment-seeking abusers. Limited evidence suggests lamotrigine, which inhibits glutamate release, reduces cocaine craving. The authors propose lamotrigine may help manage ketamine use disorder and report one case where craving and use greatly reduced after taking lamotrigine. Future clinical trials are needed to understand lamotrigine's benefits.