How Does Ketamine Actually Work BDNF Is the Real Treatment

Charles Miller, founder and chief medical officer of Scenic City Neurotherapy in Chattanooga challenges what many believe about ketamine treatment.

The Common Belief: Treatment works through: (1) the medication, (2) the psychedelic experience, (3) integration work.

But what does the science actually show?

The Mechanism: "Ketamine blocks the NMDA receptor. Blocking NMDA causes glutamate buildup, which activates AMPA and mTOR. Then the brain dumps brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)."

The Analogy: "You're using your brain all day. It breaks down. Pathways unplug through dendritic spine retraction, just like lifting weights tears muscles apart. Then during rest, things rebuild.

BDNF primarily releases as we're falling asleep - the brain plugs things back in. This protein, when present, builds back faster, more aggressively."

The Real Treatment: "We're using ketamine as a catalyst to stimulate the brain to release BDNF. But the protein is the treatment, not the ketamine."

Here's what matters: Ketamine opens a neuroplasticity window that lasts days to weeks, during which BDNF levels stay elevated to help lock in new neural connections. The lifestyle changes patients make during this window—that's where real treatment happens.

Charles argues it’s not the dissociative experience. Rather it's the neuroplasticity window that follows.

🎧 Episode 52 wherever you get your podcasts

👋 If you're new to our channel, we're Sam & Kim Ko - two physicians who have navigated the ropes of opening our own ketamine infusion therapy clinic. We teach others how to successfully do the same, and have helped multiple doctors and other licensed medical professionals across the United States open their own ketamine clinic. On this podcast you’ll learn about building a ketamine therapy practice, industry insights, and what's shaping the future of psyched*lic medicine.
#medicalpodcast #medicaleducation #Neuroplasticity #TreatmentMechanism #EvidenceBased #HowKetamineWorks #brainderivedneurotrophicfactor

Видео How Does Ketamine Actually Work BDNF Is the Real Treatment канала Ketamine StartUp