Ketamine Therapy for Depression in Scottsdale

Research consistently shows that 30–40% of people with major depressive disorder don't achieve adequate relief from antidepressants, even after multiple medication trials (Rush et al., STAR*D, NEJM 2006). This is treatment-resistant depression (TRD) — not a failure of character, but a biological reality that reflects the limits of medications targeting only the serotonin and norepinephrine systems.

Ketamine bypasses the serotonin system entirely and acts on glutamate receptors involved in synaptic plasticity — the brain's ability to rewire itself. This is why ketamine can produce results when antidepressants have not.

Traditional antidepressants modulate serotonin or norepinephrine and take weeks to work. Ketamine acts as an NMDA receptor antagonist, triggering rapid upregulation of BDNF and activation of the mTOR pathway — both of which drive neuroplasticity and the regrowth of synaptic connections atrophied by chronic depression.

In published clinical trials, ketamine has produced rapid improvements in mood, motivation, and cognitive flexibility — often within hours of infusion (Murrough et al., Am J Psychiatry 2013). A full induction series of six sessions is designed to build and sustain those effects. Some patients also explore Spravato (esketamine), the FDA-approved nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression.

Every patient begins with a free physician intake — a one-on-one consultation with Dr. Andrew Zabel to review your history, assess medications, and determine whether ketamine is appropriate. If you're a candidate, the standard protocol is an induction series of six IV infusions over 2–3 weeks. Dr. Zabel personally monitors your first infusion; the rest are monitored by nurses trained in critical care and emergency medicine, with Dr. Zabel available for consultation.

Following the series, many patients benefit from integration support and optional maintenance sessions. The six-infusion induction package is $3,000; single sessions are $625. See our pricing page.

Ketamine is a controlled dissociative anesthetic requiring careful patient selection, individualized dosing, and real-time clinical judgment. Dr. Zabel's background in board-certified Emergency Medicine shapes how treatment is run here: he conducts your intake, sets your treatment plan, and personally monitors your first infusion. Subsequent infusions are monitored by nurses trained in critical care and emergency medicine, with Dr. Zabel available for consultation throughout. We also treat conditions that frequently co-occur with depression, including PTSD and anxiety.