Dissociative anesthetics are a class of psychedelic drugs that distort perceptions of sight and sound and produce feelings of detachment from oneself and the environment. They differ from central nervous system (CNS) depressants because they primarily block the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the brain, rather than enhancing the effect of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. 

These drugs induce a state of “dissociative anesthesia” by interrupting communication between the conscious mind and other parts of the brain. The mechanism is mainly based on the antagonism of NMDA receptors, which are crucial for learning, memory, emotion, and pain perception. 

At lower doses, they can have a stimulating effect, while higher doses induce an anesthetic state. Dissociative anesthesia is unique because it provides powerful pain relief, sedation, and amnesia without necessarily causing a full loss of consciousness or depressing the respiratory system like many traditional CNS depressants.