Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

516
Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
516
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview01:23

Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview

1.3K
Sedatives are drugs that alleviate anxiety, while hypnotics induce sleep. Both classes of medication suppress neuronal activity, leading to a calming effect for sedatives and facilitating sleep for hypnotics.
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
1.3K
Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview01:20

Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

890
Inhalation anesthetics are drugs that induce general anesthesia upon inhalation. They work by increasing the sensitivity of GABAA receptors or inhibiting NMDA receptors, leading to a decrease in central nervous system activity. The depth of anesthesia can be rapidly adjusted by changing the concentration of the inhaled gas. Some common examples of inhalational anesthetics include volatile liquids like isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and gases like xenon and nitrous oxide. Isoflurane, a...
890
Electroconvulsive Therapy01:30

Electroconvulsive Therapy

688
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), or shock therapy, remains a critical biomedical intervention for severe, treatment-resistant depression. While its origins can be traced back to Hippocrates' observations that malaria-induced convulsions alleviated mental illness, modern ECT has evolved significantly from its earlier, more primitive applications. First introduced in 1938 by Ugo Cerletti and his colleagues, ECT involves inducing controlled seizures using electrical currents. In its early...
688
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia01:29

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

645
Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
645
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents01:17

Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents

447
Sedatives and hypnotics encompass a wide range of substances, each with its unique mechanism of action, uses, and potential adverse effects.
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
447

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Orthopaedic injuries among adults associated with electric skateboard use.

OTA international : the open access journal of orthopaedic trauma·2026
Same author

Risk of new-onset obstructive sleep apnea up to 4.5 years after COVID-19 in the urban population.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Using connectome-based predictive models to reveal the systems standardized tests and clinical symptoms are reflecting.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Lower synaptic density in mood circuitry underlies depression in Parkinson's disease.

Brain communications·2026
Same author

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Following Esketamine for Major Depression and Suicidal Ideation for Relapse Prevention: The CBT-ENDURE Randomized Trial.

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·2026
Same author

Concurrent SSRI, SNRI, or Other Antidepressant Use Not Associated With Differential Outcomes in Ketamine or Esketamine Treatment.

The Journal of clinical psychiatry·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 30, 2025

Remote Limb Ischemic Preconditioning: A Neuroprotective Technique in Rodents
07:52

Remote Limb Ischemic Preconditioning: A Neuroprotective Technique in Rodents

Published on: June 2, 2015

12.4K

Ketamine: A Review for Clinicians.

Gerard Sanacora1, Rachel Katz1

  • 1Drs. Sanacora and Katz are both with the Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven CT, and the Yale Interventional Psychiatry Service, Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital, New Haven, CT.

Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)
|January 25, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Ketamine, initially an anesthetic, shows promise for severe depression treatment, offering rapid relief. Further research is needed to fully understand its efficacy and safety for various psychiatric disorders.

Keywords:
AntidepressantsDrug treatment/psychopharmacologyMood Disorders-Unipolar

More Related Videos

Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers
14:52

Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers

Published on: January 13, 2018

11.4K
Terminal H-reflex Measurements in Mice
05:38

Terminal H-reflex Measurements in Mice

Published on: June 16, 2022

6.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 30, 2025

Remote Limb Ischemic Preconditioning: A Neuroprotective Technique in Rodents
07:52

Remote Limb Ischemic Preconditioning: A Neuroprotective Technique in Rodents

Published on: June 2, 2015

12.4K
Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers
14:52

Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers

Published on: January 13, 2018

11.4K
Terminal H-reflex Measurements in Mice
05:38

Terminal H-reflex Measurements in Mice

Published on: June 16, 2022

6.2K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Ketamine, an anesthetic, is emerging as a potential treatment for severe depression.
  • Clinical trials suggest rapid antidepressant effects, even in treatment-refractory cases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the history, mechanisms of action, and evidence for ketamine's safety and efficacy in treating depression.
  • To inform clinicians about the current state of ketamine as an antidepressant.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing clinical trials and case series.
  • Discussion of current hypotheses regarding ketamine's mechanisms of action.
  • Analysis of available data on ketamine's safety and efficacy.

Main Results:

  • Ketamine demonstrates prompt relief for many depressed patients, including those with severe, treatment-resistant depression.
  • Multiple infusions may provide sustained antidepressant effects.
  • Potential applications include acute suicidal ideation and facilitating medication changes.

Conclusions:

  • Ketamine offers a potentially rapid and novel treatment for depression, often augmented by psychotherapy.
  • Concerns exist regarding unbridled use due to insufficient data on efficacy and safety across diverse protocols.
  • Further research is crucial to elucidate mechanisms and establish standardized, evidence-based treatment protocols.