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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration
Published on: January 22, 2016
[Advances in research of ketamine addiction mechanism]
Wei-Li Liu1, Shi-Zhong Bian, Zhen-Lun Gu
1Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China. liuweilisuda@sohu.com
Abstract:
Ketamine is a phencyclidine derivative acting primarily as a noncompetitive antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) excitatory glutamate receptors. As a common intravenous anaesthetic in clinic, it is also increasingly abused because of its hallucination and addiction effects. Based on the pharmacological and toxicologic characteristics of ketamine and the acknowledged addiction mechanism of other abused drugs, this article reviews the possible addiction mechanism of the ketamine in the aspects of its enhanced effects and reward systems, the anatomic structures, the related receptors and the individual differences.
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