Scott Alexander discusses new research suggesting ketamine's antidepressant effects may be linked to the opioid system, exploring the implications and potential future directions for depression treatment. Longer summary

Scott Alexander provides an update on ketamine research, discussing a new study that suggests ketamine's antidepressant effects may be related to the opioid system rather than NMDA receptors as previously thought. He compares this to a study on buprenorphine's effects on suicidal ideation and explores the implications of these findings. The post touches on the medical establishment's response, potential future directions for research and treatment, and the historical context of opiate use in medicine. Scott also raises questions about the relationship between opiates and depression, and the potential risks and benefits of using opioid-related treatments for depression. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander reflects on turning 33 and questions whether the changes in his thinking represent true wisdom or are the result of socialization, trauma, or neurological changes. Longer summary

In this post, Scott Alexander reflects on turning 33 and questions whether age truly brings wisdom. He lists several changes in his thinking that seem like wisdom, such as becoming more cynical, mellow, and believing things are complicated. However, he then questions whether these changes are actually wisdom or just better socialization, trauma-induced pessimism, or even neurological changes. He notes that his current views align more with elite opinion and wonders if this is due to genuine wisdom or social pressure. Scott also discusses how he's changed his stance on some issues, like religion, and questions whether this is true wisdom or just following intellectual trends. He concludes by acknowledging the difficulty in distinguishing true wisdom from other cognitive changes that come with age. Shorter summary

Scott explores the theory that clozapine's unique effectiveness in treating schizophrenia may be due to its combined action on dopamine and glutamate systems, potentially opening avenues for safer treatments. Longer summary

This post explores why clozapine is considered uniquely effective among antipsychotic drugs for treating schizophrenia. Scott discusses recent research suggesting clozapine's superiority may be due to its action on the glutamate system, specifically as an NMDA receptor agonist, in addition to its dopamine-blocking effects. He explains that adding NMDA modulators to other antipsychotics improves their efficacy, but not when added to clozapine, possibly because clozapine already has this effect. The post speculates that if this theory is correct, it could lead to safer treatments combining standard antipsychotics with NMDA agonists, avoiding clozapine's serious side effects. However, Scott notes that more research is needed to confirm this hypothesis and overcome regulatory hurdles. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores potential links between perception of optical illusions and cognitive styles, proposing further research to investigate these connections. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the potential link between perception and cognition based on survey results about optical illusions. He notes that 'weirder' groups (e.g., schizophrenics, transhumanists, polyamorous people) tend to see more ambiguity in illusions like the Hollow Mask and Spinning Dancer. Scott proposes a research program to explore whether perception of optical illusions could predict cognitive biases or high-level beliefs. He plans to include more illusions in future surveys to better understand the underlying mental processes. While acknowledging the ambitiousness of this idea, he cites some supporting evidence, such as the involvement of NMDA receptors in both political opinions and illusion perception. Scott also considers potential confounding factors and how to address them in future research. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander hypothesizes a link between transgender identity, optical illusions, and NMDA receptor function, based on survey data and existing research on schizophrenia and autism. Longer summary

Scott Alexander explores a potential link between transgender identity, optical illusions, and NMDA receptor function in the brain. He presents survey data suggesting that transgender individuals, like those with schizophrenia and autism, are less susceptible to certain optical illusions. He hypothesizes that this might be related to NMDA receptor hypofunction, which is also associated with dissociation, a common experience among transgender people. The post explores how estrogen, which enhances NMDA function, alleviates dissociation in trans women. Scott connects these findings to broader research on NMDA receptors in schizophrenia and autism, noting the higher prevalence of these conditions in transgender populations. The post concludes with several caveats and suggestions for future research to validate these speculative connections. Shorter summary