Ketamine

Recent articles

Illustration of ketamine blocking open ion channels in active NMDA receptors, quieting the cells and disrupting downstream signaling involved in depression.

Ketamine targets lateral habenula, setting off cascade of antidepressant effects

The drug’s affinity for overactive cells in the “anti-reward” region may help explain its rapid and long-lasting results.

By Olivia Gieger
4 September 2024 | 6 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Photo collage featuring Tempest McDonald.

When autistic kids grow up, Chapter 3: Would there be data?

Tempest McDonald takes a postdoctoral position at Vanderbilt University. Researching her paper accusing the National Institutes of Health of discrimination threatens everything she has built.

By Brady Huggett
18 June 2026 | 27 min listen
Two infants.

Cousin comparison parses genetic effects in autism

The approach helps reveal whether maternal genes contribute directly to autism in children or have indirect effects on the prenatal environment.

By Charles Q. Choi
18 June 2026 | 4 min read
A white brain model is surrounded by bright, detached sensory organs mounted on colorful wires.

Single-neuron recordings zoom into ‘blurry map’ of human motor cortex

The motor cortex is organized into an "intermixed jumble of tiles" to generate meaningful movement.

By Claudia López Lloreda
17 June 2026 | 5 min read