Effects of Ketamine on Neurobehavioral Disorders
Summary
Ketamine is increasingly recognised for its rapid and multifaceted impact on a range of neurobehavioural disorders. Initially developed as an anaesthetic, its capacity to modulate glutamatergic neurotransmission through non-competitive antagonism of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors has opened avenues for treating refractory depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain. Clinical investigations have demonstrated swift antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects at sub-anaesthetic doses, offering a critical intervention for treatment-resistant conditions. Moreover, ketamine’s influence extends to modulation of dopaminergic pathways and autonomic regulation, yielding both therapeutic benefits and sympathomimetic side-effects. Preclinical studies have elucidated age- and dose-dependent neuroplastic changes, while emerging protocols combine ketamine with psychotherapeutic frameworks to enhance long-term outcomes. Despite its promise, concerns over dissociative effects, cognitive sequelae and abuse liability underscore the need for rigorous safety assessments. As global research converges on optimising dosing regimens and identifying biomarkers of response, ketamine continues to reshape the therapeutic landscape for diverse neuropsychiatric and pain-related conditions.
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Effects of Ketamine on Neurobehavioral Disorders publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in effects of ketamine on neurobehavioral disorders across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor: A subtype of glutamate receptor involved in synaptic plasticity and neuroplastic changes.
Glutamatergic neurotransmission: The neural communication mediated by glutamate, the principal excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD): A major depressive disorder that fails to respond adequately to at least two standard antidepressant therapies.
Electrodermal activity (EDA): Physiological measure of skin conductance reflecting sympathetic nervous system arousal.
Hyperlocomotion: Excessive motor activity, often used as an index of psychostimulant or dissociative drug effects in animal models.
References
- Effect of Acute Ketamine Treatment on Sympathetic Regulation Indexed by Electrodermal Activity in Adolescent Major Depression. Pharmaceuticals (2024).
- Age, Dose, and Locomotion: Decoding Vulnerability to Ketamine in C57BL/6J and BALB/c Mice. Biomedicines (2023).
- The effects of ketamine on dopaminergic function: meta-analysis and review of the implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Molecular Psychiatry (2017).
- Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in adolescents with multiple psychiatric diagnoses. Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023).
- A Systematic Review on Ketamine and Esketamine for Treatment-Resistant Depression and Suicidality in Adolescents: A New Hope?. Children (2024).
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