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The emergence of ketamine--previously known as a combat anesthetic and club drug--as a treatment for depression.
Ketamine, approved in 2019 by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of depression, has been touted by scientists and media reports as something approaching a miracle cure. This volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series chronicles the ascent of a drug that has been around for fifty years--in previous incarnations, a Vietnam-era combat anesthetic and a popular club drug--that has now been reinvented as a treatment for depression. Bita Moghaddam, a leading researcher in neuropharmacology, explains the scientific history and the biology of ketamine, its clinical use, and its recently discovered antidepressant effects, for the nonspecialist reader.
Ketamine, approved in 2019 by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of depression, has been touted by scientists and media reports as something approaching a miracle cure. This volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series chronicles the ascent of a drug that has been around for fifty years--in previous incarnations, a Vietnam-era combat anesthetic and a popular club drug--that has now been reinvented as a treatment for depression. Bita Moghaddam, a leading researcher in neuropharmacology, explains the scientific history and the biology of ketamine, its clinical use, and its recently discovered antidepressant effects, for the nonspecialist reader.
208 pages, Paperback
Published February 16, 2021
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About the author
Bita Moghaddam
4 books2 followersBita Moghaddam is a leading researcher in the field of neuropsychopharmacology. She is Ruth Matarazzo Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 12, 2021
Ketamine by Bita Moghaddam is the first book of the MIT Essential Knowledge Series I have had the pleasure of reading. Before we get started I want to let you know that I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Ketamine comes in at 152 pages plus references. Upon finishing the relative short book the first thought I had was how enjoyable the short journey was while still being one of the most informative books I have read in a bit.
I often find myself drawn to books about drugs, whether they are medicinal or recreational in nature. I am fascinated by the human body and read about it quite often. To be honest I had a bit of knowledge about Ketamine before I opened this book and was honestly questioning how much more I would get from it. Where this book surprised me was how well it laid out the foundational topics of neuroscience, such as how receptors work. Now this in particular is something I have read about many a time but Bita described receptors in such a succinct and clear way, accompanied with diagrams that I actually felt my understanding change upon reading her description. The entire first half of the book was written in this way, with clear and concise information about the drugs history, synthesis (did you know it comes from PCP?), and the science of how it works in the brain.
Going into the second half of the book Bita lays out Ketamines affect on depression and makes it clear what we do know, and the many things we do not know. She also critiques animal model testing of depression and raises many questions about how to improve the processes.
What blew me away throughout the reading of this book was how balanced the information felt. Many scientist who write about drugs (with recreational effects) are either starry eyed or damning. Bita comes across not only intimately knowledgeable about the topic but beyond fair when discussing the pros and cons of Ketamine's potential.
I am reader who firmly sees himself as a layperson and prioritizes quality non-fiction along with entertainment, this book truly hit that sweet spot. It's safe to say that while this was my first book I have read of the MIT Essential Knowledge series it will not be the last.
Ketamine comes in at 152 pages plus references. Upon finishing the relative short book the first thought I had was how enjoyable the short journey was while still being one of the most informative books I have read in a bit.
I often find myself drawn to books about drugs, whether they are medicinal or recreational in nature. I am fascinated by the human body and read about it quite often. To be honest I had a bit of knowledge about Ketamine before I opened this book and was honestly questioning how much more I would get from it. Where this book surprised me was how well it laid out the foundational topics of neuroscience, such as how receptors work. Now this in particular is something I have read about many a time but Bita described receptors in such a succinct and clear way, accompanied with diagrams that I actually felt my understanding change upon reading her description. The entire first half of the book was written in this way, with clear and concise information about the drugs history, synthesis (did you know it comes from PCP?), and the science of how it works in the brain.
Going into the second half of the book Bita lays out Ketamines affect on depression and makes it clear what we do know, and the many things we do not know. She also critiques animal model testing of depression and raises many questions about how to improve the processes.
What blew me away throughout the reading of this book was how balanced the information felt. Many scientist who write about drugs (with recreational effects) are either starry eyed or damning. Bita comes across not only intimately knowledgeable about the topic but beyond fair when discussing the pros and cons of Ketamine's potential.
I am reader who firmly sees himself as a layperson and prioritizes quality non-fiction along with entertainment, this book truly hit that sweet spot. It's safe to say that while this was my first book I have read of the MIT Essential Knowledge series it will not be the last.
November 12, 2021
An enjoyable, clear, and illuminating book about the history and biology of ketamine and its use as an antidepressant. In this book, you will learn why, despite FDA approval for the use of ketamine in depression, the drug is assigned a "black box" warning.
In 7 chapters, the book explores foundational topics in neuroscience, the synthesis of ketamine and its molecular structure, its use across history (as an anaesthetic in the battlefield, in pediatric anaesthesia, in veterinary medicine, as a recreational drug, and in research settings), the discovery of ketamine’s antidepressant effects, and current knowledge about its effects on the brain and the underlying mechanisms for its antidepressant properties. The author provides a summary of depression, its symptoms, and the history of its treatment modalities. Towards the end of the book, the author describes the 𝘚𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦 for the stages of ketamine as an antidepressant and offers predictions about future directions. There's some brief referral to the use of psychedelics and psilocybin in the treatment of depression; here I wish this topic was explored further.
The book is short (around 180 including index and references) and concise, yet it is highly informative and enjoyable to read. It nicely balances history with science, and I recommend it to experts and general readers.
In 7 chapters, the book explores foundational topics in neuroscience, the synthesis of ketamine and its molecular structure, its use across history (as an anaesthetic in the battlefield, in pediatric anaesthesia, in veterinary medicine, as a recreational drug, and in research settings), the discovery of ketamine’s antidepressant effects, and current knowledge about its effects on the brain and the underlying mechanisms for its antidepressant properties. The author provides a summary of depression, its symptoms, and the history of its treatment modalities. Towards the end of the book, the author describes the 𝘚𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘦 for the stages of ketamine as an antidepressant and offers predictions about future directions. There's some brief referral to the use of psychedelics and psilocybin in the treatment of depression; here I wish this topic was explored further.
The book is short (around 180 including index and references) and concise, yet it is highly informative and enjoyable to read. It nicely balances history with science, and I recommend it to experts and general readers.
November 24, 2022
this was so neuroscience core i liked it a lot. they talked a lot about uncertainties around ketamine and research which was good because usually i think with informative books they tend to make it seem like everything is figured out but here they were like uhhh yeah so we're still kind of unsure about these stuff and there's a lot to discover!
March 22, 2023
Working in an addictions medicine space, I found it interesting to learn more about ketamine-assisted therapy. This book was short and concise - straight to the point yet very insightful. There is still so much more to learn about the future of ketamine but I am sure it is promising.
February 2, 2024
A very thorough yet concise and readable overview of ketamine’s potential as an antidepressant. Covers the psychopharmacology very well, neither being overly technical nor dumbing things down. I appreciate the balanced perspective, which is neither too critical or plagued with unwarranted hype.
January 10, 2025
There was definitely some useful and interesting information in this book, but it was very repetitive in some areas. It also failed to delve deeper into certain areas I was interested in learning more about which was frustrating
July 24, 2022
Illuminating little book.
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May 19, 2023"the biggest advance for depression in years."
January 14, 2024
Very comprehensive book about ketamine & it's application to TRD.
December 6, 2025
I grabbed this book on a whim, and was surprised how engaging and informative it was. This book has definitely inspired me to read more from the MIT Essential Knowledge series.
December 11, 2025
Breaks down a lot of complex biochemistry in a way that is easy to understand. Highly recommend if you're looking to learn more about the clinical studies behind ketamine but don't want to comb through a lot of medical literature on your own.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews