Rachel Carlson

So statistically, there was no difference between people who got ketamine and people who got placebo.

So statistically, there was no difference between people who got ketamine and people who got placebo.

So statistically, there was no difference between people who got ketamine and people who got placebo.

And even Cindy, who did get ketamine and did feel like it helped her depression symptoms, told me she thought about whether it was really the drug that helped her or other parts of the study. Like what was it that really made her feel better?

And even Cindy, who did get ketamine and did feel like it helped her depression symptoms, told me she thought about whether it was really the drug that helped her or other parts of the study. Like what was it that really made her feel better?

And even Cindy, who did get ketamine and did feel like it helped her depression symptoms, told me she thought about whether it was really the drug that helped her or other parts of the study. Like what was it that really made her feel better?

Exactly. And she told me that she wondered, like, how far would it take other people who were struggling with something like depression if they just had this same kind of support that she got from Boris and her surgery team?

Exactly. And she told me that she wondered, like, how far would it take other people who were struggling with something like depression if they just had this same kind of support that she got from Boris and her surgery team?

Exactly. And she told me that she wondered, like, how far would it take other people who were struggling with something like depression if they just had this same kind of support that she got from Boris and her surgery team?

Boris told me that a lot of patients seem to think that if they felt better, they probably got ketamine, even if they didn't, which to him points to this expectation or hope that patients might have about being in a study where they might get some kind of drug at all.

Boris told me that a lot of patients seem to think that if they felt better, they probably got ketamine, even if they didn't, which to him points to this expectation or hope that patients might have about being in a study where they might get some kind of drug at all.

Boris told me that a lot of patients seem to think that if they felt better, they probably got ketamine, even if they didn't, which to him points to this expectation or hope that patients might have about being in a study where they might get some kind of drug at all.

Yeah, I mean, that's what Boris is saying. And what he really emphasized to me is that placebo can sort of be seen as this fake thing or a sign of failure in a study. But there's science supporting its effectiveness. It can actually change our brain chemistry. But people often see it as this imaginary treatment.

Yeah, I mean, that's what Boris is saying. And what he really emphasized to me is that placebo can sort of be seen as this fake thing or a sign of failure in a study. But there's science supporting its effectiveness. It can actually change our brain chemistry. But people often see it as this imaginary treatment.

Yeah, I mean, that's what Boris is saying. And what he really emphasized to me is that placebo can sort of be seen as this fake thing or a sign of failure in a study. But there's science supporting its effectiveness. It can actually change our brain chemistry. But people often see it as this imaginary treatment.

Right. So Boris tackled this question with anesthesia. He came away feeling like maybe these other factors are really important. And a lot of people in the field argue this. Other researchers are focusing on creating new drugs altogether, ones that work like psychedelics but don't have a trip at all.

Right. So Boris tackled this question with anesthesia. He came away feeling like maybe these other factors are really important. And a lot of people in the field argue this. Other researchers are focusing on creating new drugs altogether, ones that work like psychedelics but don't have a trip at all.

Right. So Boris tackled this question with anesthesia. He came away feeling like maybe these other factors are really important. And a lot of people in the field argue this. Other researchers are focusing on creating new drugs altogether, ones that work like psychedelics but don't have a trip at all.

David Olson is one of these researchers. He's a chemical neuroscientist at UC Davis, and he says neuropsychiatric disease is a huge problem globally. We're talking in the neighborhood of a billion people.

David Olson is one of these researchers. He's a chemical neuroscientist at UC Davis, and he says neuropsychiatric disease is a huge problem globally. We're talking in the neighborhood of a billion people.