Ketamine induces delirium-like behavior and interferes with endosomal tau trafficking
Xinghua Ren, Siyi Zhang, Yongyan Yang et al.
Ketamine, an anesthetic and antidepressant, can induce delirium-like behavior in mice and increase tau protein in their blood. In cultured cells, ketamine disrupts endosome function—key organelles for tau release—by increasing endosomal markers Rab5 and Rab7, inhibiting endosome maturation, and boosting tau accumulation in endosomes and the culture medium. These findings suggest ketamine may interfere with tau trafficking, potentially contributing to neurotoxicity and delirium, warranting further research into anesthetic safety.