Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
How did ketamine evolve from an anesthetic to one of the most important mental health treatment breakthroughs in decades?
In this episode of The Vitals, guest host Dennis Charney, MD sits down with specialists, James Murrough , MD, PhD, and Adriana Feder, MD, to explore the science behind ketamine treatment for depression and PTSD—and why it may offer hope for patients who have not responded to traditional therapies.
The conversation traces the origins of ketamine research to the pioneering clinical work conducted at Mount Sinai. The doctors explain how ketamine differs from standard antidepressants, why it can work within hours instead of weeks, and how it is helping patients with treatment-resistant depression and suicidal thinking.
The panel also discusses:
How ketamine became the FDA-approved treatment Spravato
Why researchers believe ketamine increases neuroplasticity in the brain
The growing evidence for ketamine in treating PTSD
How psychotherapy may enhance ketamine’s long-term effects
Why patients should not lose hope, even after years of severe symptoms
To learn more about Mount Sinai’s Depression and Anxiety Center or to book an appointment with a Mount Sinai expert, visit the Mount Sinai Health System’s website: https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/depression-anxiety-center
Instagram: instagram.com/mountsinaidepression
Subscribe to The Vitals and the Mount Sinai Health System’s other podcasts on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
00:00 – Introduction: The Promise of Ketamine Treatment
01:35 – How Ketamine Was First Discovered as an Antidepressant
05:35 – Early Skepticism and the First Mount Sinai Studies
09:35 – Patients Experiencing Rapid Relief from Depression
11:45 – Could Ketamine Help PTSD Patients Too?
15:00 – The First Ketamine Studies for PTSD
17:05 – Real Patient Stories: Fear, Trauma, and Recovery
19:20 – Why Psychotherapy May Enhance Ketamine Treatment
22:20 – Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Explained
27:10 – Exposure Therapy, Fear Extinction, and PTSD Recovery
32:20 – Ketamine and Suicidal Thinking
37:15 – What Brain Imaging Reveals About Depression and PTSD
42:00 – Final Message: There Is Hope
How did ketamine evolve from an anesthetic to one of the most important mental health treatment breakthroughs in decades?
In this episode of The Vitals, guest host Dennis Charney, MD sits down with specialists, James Murrough , MD, PhD, and Adriana Feder, MD, to explore the science behind ketamine treatment for depression and PTSD—and why it may offer hope for patients who have not responded to traditional therapies.
The conversation traces the origins of ketamine research to the pioneering clinical work conducted at Mount Sinai. The doctors explain how ketamine differs from standard antidepressants, why it can work within hours instead of weeks, and how it is helping patients with treatment-resistant depression and suicidal thinking.
The panel also discusses:
How ketamine became the FDA-approved treatment Spravato
Why researchers believe ketamine increases neuroplasticity in the brain
The growing evidence for ketamine in treating PTSD
How psychotherapy may enhance ketamine’s long-term effects
Why patients should not lose hope, even after years of severe symptoms
To learn more about Mount Sinai’s Depression and Anxiety Center or to book an appointment with a Mount Sinai expert, visit the Mount Sinai Health System’s website: https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/depression-anxiety-center
Instagram: instagram.com/mountsinaidepression
Subscribe to The Vitals and the Mount Sinai Health System’s other podcasts on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
00:00 – Introduction: The Promise of Ketamine Treatment
01:35 – How Ketamine Was First Discovered as an Antidepressant
05:35 – Early Skepticism and the First Mount Sinai Studies
09:35 – Patients Experiencing Rapid Relief from Depression
11:45 – Could Ketamine Help PTSD Patients Too?
15:00 – The First Ketamine Studies for PTSD
17:05 – Real Patient Stories: Fear, Trauma, and Recovery
19:20 – Why Psychotherapy May Enhance Ketamine Treatment
22:20 – Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Explained
27:10 – Exposure Therapy, Fear Extinction, and PTSD Recovery
32:20 – Ketamine and Suicidal Thinking
37:15 – What Brain Imaging Reveals About Depression and PTSD
42:00 – Final Message: There Is Hope
