I also completely agree that the sedative-level dose given to soldiers after stress might have worked by blocking traumatic memory formation. It has already been established that blocking or "erasing" stress memories may prevent PTSD (here's just one example: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/819452).
In the studies in mice, ketamine was no longer in the animals' systems by the time they were stressed. So they were not sedated. And the researchers tested memory formation to confirm it was not affected. Thus, it seems that ketamine's protective effect in mice isn't just because memory is disrupted. That said, it is always possible they missed something.
From what I can find, it doesn't seem like anyone has even looked yet to see how this ketamine-vaccine strategy effects neuroplasticity. At this stage, it's probably best to consider the post-stress effect of ketamine in soldiers (1), the pre-stress protection in mice (2), and the neuroplastic effects of ketamine (3) as three separate things.
I also completely agree that the sedative-level dose given to soldiers after stress might have worked by blocking traumatic memory formation. It has already been established that blocking or "erasing" stress memories may prevent PTSD (here's just one example: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/819452).
In the studies in mice, ketamine was no longer in the animals' systems by the time they were stressed. So they were not sedated. And the researchers tested memory formation to confirm it was not affected. Thus, it seems that ketamine's protective effect in mice isn't just because memory is disrupted. That said, it is always possible they missed something.
From what I can find, it doesn't seem like anyone has even looked yet to see how this ketamine-vaccine strategy effects neuroplasticity. At this stage, it's probably best to consider the post-stress effect of ketamine in soldiers (1), the pre-stress protection in mice (2), and the neuroplastic effects of ketamine (3) as three separate things.