Episode 46: The Kappa Hypothesis – Medetomidine, Dysphoria, and Hallucinations

This week on The Tox Lab, we’re discussing medetomidine and its unexpected association with hallucinations.

We review a recent paper highlighting its emergence in the drug supply and the apparent increase in hallucinatory effects reported with its use. Although medetomidine has been linked to reducing post-operative delirium, we also discuss a case report of dexmedetomidine-induced delirium in a patient with schizophrenia — adding to the complexity of this picture. And yes, we even wonder what dogs might be dreaming about when they come round from their vet visit.

We then explore a possible mechanism for these effects, including the hypothesis that activity at the kappa opioid receptor could play a role.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this, so please get in touch!

Hope you enjoy!

Links to the papers we discussed:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dar.70024

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11312422/

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