Final answer:
Ketamine's effects vary with dosage; low doses lead to relaxation and perceptual changes, while high doses can cause severe motor disturbance, memory loss, and respiratory failure. Dosage and administration route are vital to avoid toxicity, especially in those with liver or kidney issues. Ketamine acts on the NMDA glutamate receptor and has a variable lethal dose.
Step-by-step explanation:
Effects of Ketamine at Different Dose Levels
The effects of ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, vary considerably at different dose levels. At low doses, ketamine can promote a sense of relaxation and decreased inhibitions, which often leads to a mild dissociative state with perceptual changes. Higher doses can significantly amplify these effects, leading to increased motor disturbances, profound memory loss, and potentially dangerous reductions in respiratory function. In extreme cases, very high doses of ketamine can induce a deep state of unconsciousness and even result in death. Furthermore, there's high variability in these effects due to factors such as individual differences, the method of ingestion, and the specific strain of ketamine used.