Perception study may explain promising depression therapy
Our brains are constantly making predictions about the world around us based on learned associations – if we hear sirens, we expect to see an ambulance.
A recent study by University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers found that ketamine blocks the chemical signals that allow us to make predictions.
Why is this beneficial?
Many disorders are rooted in poor predictions. For instance, patients with depression often predict that the worst case scenario is bound to happen.
“Blocking the negative predictions that are prominent in depressed patients could be how ketamine helps,” explains the school’s psychology and neuroscience professor.
