Ketamine-induced modulation of the thalamo-cortical network in healthy volunteers as a model for schizophrenia
This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, within-subjects crossover study (n=30) investigated the effects of esketamine (23.1mg/70kg) on the modulation of thalamocortical circuitry during resting state in healthy volunteers, to investigate whether their brain connectivity exhibits a similar profile as patients with schizophrenia. They found that a subanesthetic dose of ketamine leads to significantly higher functional connectivity in the thalamus hub network, and the strengthening of functional cortico-thalamic connectivity for the somatosensory and temporal seed regions but not for prefrontal, occipital, and parietal regions, in accordance with the connectivity profile of schizophrenia.
Authors
- Siegfried Kasper
Published
Abstract
Background
Schizophrenia has been associated with disturbances of thalamic functioning. In light of recent evidence suggesting a significant impact of the glutamatergic system on key symptoms of schizophrenia, we assessed whether modulation of the glutamatergic system via blockage of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor might lead to changes of thalamic functional connectivity.
Methods
Based on the ketamine model of psychosis, we investigated changes in cortico-thalamic functional connectivity by intravenous ketamine challenge during a 55-minute resting-state scan. Thirty healthy volunteers were measured with pharmacological functional magnetic resonance imaging using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design.
Results
Functional connectivity analysis revealed significant ketamine-specific changes within the thalamus hub network, more precisely, an increase of cortico-thalamic connectivity of the somatosensory and temporal cortex.
Conclusions
Our results indicate that changes of thalamic functioning as described for schizophrenia can be partly mimicked by NMDA-receptor blockage. This adds substantial knowledge about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the profound changes of perception and behavior during the application of NMDA-receptor antagonists.
Research Summary of 'Ketamine-induced modulation of the thalamo-cortical network in healthy volunteers as a model for schizophrenia'
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Study Details
- Study Typeindividual
- Populationhumans
- Characteristicsdouble blindrandomizedplacebo controlledcrossoverbrain measures
- Journal
- Compound
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- APA Citation
Cited By (9)
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