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How Ketamine Rebuilds the Brain: Understanding BDNF and Neuroplasticity

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Hello, this is Dr. Tanya Dall, MD. Today, I want to spend 10 minutes breaking down the core biological engine behind every successful treatment at Renew.

Question: “Everyone talks about ‘neuroplasticity’ and BDNF. What is actually happening inside my brain during ketamine treatment?”

For decades, psychiatry focused on the monoamine hypothesis—the idea that depression was simply a deficit in serotonin or norepinephrine. Modern neurobiology shows this is incomplete. Chronic stress, trauma, and depression release excess cortisol, which causes dendritic atrophy—literally shrinking and pruning the synaptic connections between your neurons.

Ketamine works via a completely different pathway. By blocking NMDA receptors on GABAergic interneurons, it causes a transient surge of glutamate. This glutamate stimulates AMPA receptors, which directly triggers the release of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). BDNF acts like high-grade fertilizer for your neurons.

Within hours, BDNF activates the mTOR pathway, stimulating the rapid growth of new dendritic spines and synaptogenesis—rebuilding the physical connections that stress tore down. Ketamine doesn’t just manage your mood; it physically rebuilds the hardware of your brain.

Whether you are suffering from treatment-resistant depression or complex chronic pain, we are dedicated to helping you restore function and reclaim your life.

If you have questions about our treatments or want to discuss whether ketamine is right for you, contact our team at info@renewketamineinfusion.com or book a consultation at our Tustin or San Juan Capistrano clinics.

 

Cheers,

Dr. Tanya Dall, MD

Renew Ketamine Infusion

Tustin & San Juan Capistrano, CA

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OCD

Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD) is unfortunately resistant to many forms of medical treatment including both medication and therapy.

Ketamine has been shown to be an effective, fast acting, safe option for patients with OCD. Over the course of the Ketamine infusions (2-4 weeks) neuroplasticity can lead to a change or abatement in the intrusive, repetitive thoughts and behaviors that typify OCD.

When combined with our unique post infusion integration process, patients with severe OCD can see profound relief of their symptoms.

Start here for a free physician consultation to see if Ketamine assisted psychotherapy can help renew you.

Chronic Pain

“There is extensive research currently being done on this topic. I can say from personal experience as a practicing Board Certified Pain Medicine Physician, I have had patients with chronic pain, including fibromyalgia, who have had significant relief of their symptoms with Ketamine assisted therapy. With that said, Ketamine assisted therapy will definitely not work for everyone with chronic pain, and each patient will require a thorough evaluation to ensure they are an adequate candidate for a trial of Ketamine assisted therapy for relief of their chronic pain” -Dr. Justin Yanuck.

The current evidence of Ketamine assisted therapy for chronic pain is fairly mixed. The majority of studies only looked at ketamine infusion without any assisted psychotherapy.

Ketamine has the ability to lead to relief on its own (and the mechanisms for this have been well studied). We feel quite strongly that the real potential for Ketamine to provide relief, especially for chronic pain patients, is when combined with psychotherapy. Psychotherapy allows the individual to process their experience and build off this experience to lead to new psychological frameworks for processing both internal and external stimuli.

Pain is complex, and Ketamine assisted psychotherapy is not one-size-fits-all. Our treatment plan gives patients with treatment-resistant chronic pain and even opiate dependance a chance to try a different and effective treatment. Start here (button) for a free physician consultation to see if Ketamine assisted psychotherapy can help renew you.

Start here for a free physician consultation to see if Ketamine assisted psychotherapy can help renew you.

PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a major public health concern, affecting up to 7% of Americans.

As many as half of all Americans with PTSD get inadequate relief from traditional treatments which include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Ketamine combined with psychotherapy has been shown to be very effective at reducing the symptoms of PTSD. These effects last well beyond its near immediate relief.

Many mechanistic actions for how Ketamine works in PTSD have been proposed.

Ketamine allows people to reacquaint themselves with their past inciting trauma from an emotionally neutral perspective. Ketamine will not make you forget about the trauma. It can allow you to acknowledge its occurrence in a neutral way in order to not be continually re-traumatized by thinking about it.

Depending on the patient, outcomes can be noticed almost immediately with a sense of lightness and joy. Ketamine followed by psychotherapy has been shown to lead to significant relief of the burdens of PTSD.

Start here for a free physician consultation to see if Ketamine assisted psychotherapy can help renew you.

Anxiety

Traditional treatments for anxiety will often either work poorly, have addictive properties, or severe side effects including brain fog and drowsiness. Furthermore, these treatments tend to have reduced efficacy over time, and lead to only transient relief of symptoms.

Ketamine, when combined with our novel integrative psychotherapy, can lead to significant relief of anxiety.

During the ketamine infusion and integration process, patients will often get a better understanding of their anxiety, and are able to reframe many of the triggers that often provoke their anxiety.

Ketamine has properties that allow for rewiring of the brain (new synapse formation and repair of existing synapses). Ketamine allows people to effect changes into their own lives. It shows people that they have the power to heal from within and take control of their relationship with anxiety.

Start here for a free physician consultation to see if Ketamine assisted psychotherapy can help renew you.

Depression

Ketamine has been shown to be extremely effective and safe for patients with depression and treatment resistant depression (those who fail to get relief from two or more antidepressants). Ketamine is highly effective at rapidly (within 2-8 hours) reducing depressive symptoms. Traditional antidepressants often take weeks to months to work. Many traditional antidepressants have side effects including reduced libido, weight gain, GI upset, mood disturbances, and unfortunately require daily use for months to years. Many antidepressants, even if they do work, require you to be on them for years, if not for the rest of your life. Ketamine treatment has been shown in most patients to lead to resolution of symptoms without the need for any further medications. Ketamine is not a medication meant to be taken for the rest of your life. The goal is to provide sustained relief after the completion of a set treatment plan. This is accomplished by combining the actions of Ketamine in the brain with psychotherapy. Additional enhancement sessions available as needed. Unfortunately, there is a significant subset of patients that do not get significant relief from traditional cognitive behavioral therapy. Ketamine acts as a catalyst to stimulate a patient’s innate capacity for psychological healing. This allows patients to overcome past experiences and learned behavior to truly heal. Ketamine, combined with therapists who are specifically trained to work with neuroplastic therapies, can lead to profound breakthroughs and deep psychological healing. Start here for a free physician consultation to see if Ketamine assisted psychotherapy can help renew you.

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