Behavioral effects of sub-anesthetic ketamine in a go/no-go task

Ketamine functions as a psychedelic at lower doses, producing marked alterations in perception and cognition. The intuitive expectation is that such intoxication would impair behavioural performance on cognitive tasks. Contrary to this, the present study found that sub-anaesthetic ketamine — at doses sufficient to produce noticeable subjective effects — did not impair performance on a go/no-go response inhibition task. This null finding challenges the default assumption that altered states necessarily degrade cognitive function, and adds to a growing literature suggesting that the relationship between subjective intoxication and objective performance is more nuanced than commonly assumed.

While this study represents a relatively focused project, the willingness to report a null result — rather than seek a positive finding — reflects a commitment to scientific transparency that is too rarely practiced. Null findings on psychedelic drugs are particularly informative, as they constrain the space of mechanisms through which these substances affect the brain and behaviour.

Contributions: Responsible for design, implementation, acquisition, analysis, and manuscript writing.

Recommended citation: Nilsen, A. S., Juel, B. E., Farnes, N., Romundstad, L., & Storm, J. F. (2021). Behavioral effects of sub-anesthetic ketamine in a go/no-go task. Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 4(3), 156–162.
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