Kernel’s Flow Technology Shows Promise in Analyzing Brain Changes After Ketamine Administration

LOS ANGELES– A recently published study has revealed promising results for Kernel’s Flow technology system, demonstrating its capacity to capture and analyze brain changes following the administration of ketamine, a psychoactive substance.

The research, published in the esteemed Nature Journal Scientific Reports and sponsored by psychedelics firm Cybin Inc. (CYBN), specifically focused on measuring the acute effects of subanesthetic ketamine on brain blood flow using the proprietary tech’s time-domain functional near-infrared spectroscopy (TD-fNIRS).

Kernel, known for its mission to advance precision neuro medicine, which employs brain data to inform mental and brain health, aims to develop “the world’s most comprehensive portfolio of brain-based biomarkers.”

According to the company, the study was a single-blind, placebo-controlled, and non-randomized trial, marking the “first fNIRS human neuroimaging study with ketamine ever conducted” and the “largest fNIRS study measuring the acute effect of a psychedelic.”

Flow’s technology effectively measured the acute effects on the brain after the administration of either 0.75 mg/kg of ketamine or a placebo in a clinical setting involving 15 healthy participants. The recorded results showed the following findings:

1. Ketamine induced an altered state of consciousness and systemic physiological changes, such as an increase in pulse rate.
2. There was a decrease in the brain’s low-frequency fluctuations and global brain connectivity in the prefrontal region.
3. Preliminary evidence suggested that a combination of neural and physiological metrics could predict subjective mystical experiences and reductions in depressive symptoms.

The study also demonstrated Flow’s “seamless integration” into everyday clinical settings, with its “user-friendly nature” for neuroimaging in real-world environments.

Ryan Field, CEO of Kernel, emphasized that the study represents “a significant milestone in the field of neuroimaging,” showcasing Flow’s “remarkable ease and capabilities” in exploring the physiological effects of psychedelics in natural settings. Field expressed confidence in the technology’s potential to pave the way for large-scale clinical studies, enabling the quantification of psychedelics’ impact on the brain.

Cybin CEO Doug Drysdale echoed these sentiments, describing the feasibility study as groundbreaking. He praised Kernel’s ability to measure functional brain activity in real-time using a wearable and convenient device. Additionally, the study’s results indicated that a combination of metrics may be predictive of subjective mystical experiences during psychedelic treatment.

Overall, the research highlights the significant potential of Kernel’s Flow technology in advancing the understanding of the brain’s response to psychedelics like ketamine. With its promising results, the study opens up possibilities for further exploration and large-scale clinical investigations using Flow’s innovative neuroimaging capabilities.