Ketamine as a Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa: A Narrative Review
Johanna Louise Keeler, Janet Treasure, Mario F Juruena, Carol Kan, Hubertus Himmerich
Nutrients November 20, 2021 DOI: 10.3390/nu13114158 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adults with anorexia nervosa |
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Ketamine Neuroplasticity Esketamine |
| Keywords | Anorexia nervosa Milnacipran Antidepressant Depression economics Cognition Eating disorders |
| Citations | 55 |
| Key findings | There is ample theoretical background, via several potential mechanisms, that warrants exploring ketamine as a treatment for adults with anorexia nervosa. |
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a highly complex disorder to treat, especially in severe and enduring cases. Whilst the precise aetiology of the disorder is uncertain, malnutrition and weight loss can contribute to reductions in grey and white matter of the brain, impairments in neuroplasticity and neurogenesis and difficulties with cognitive flexibility, memory and learning. Depression is highly comorbid in AN and may be a barrier to recovery. However, traditional antidepressants are often ineffective in alleviating depressive symptoms in underweight patients with AN. There is an urgent need for new treatment approaches for AN. This review gives a conceptual overview for the treatment of AN with ketamine. Ketamine has rapid antidepressant effects, which are hypothesised to occur via increases in glutamate, with sequelae including increased neuroplasticity, neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. This article provides an overview of the use of ketamine for common psychiatric comorbidities of AN and discusses particular safety concerns and side effects. Potential avenues for future research and specific methodological considerations are explored. Overall, there appears to be ample theoretical background, via several potential mechanisms, that warrant the exploration of ketamine as a treatment for adults with AN.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ketamine for anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders | 2017 | Review and consensus statement | |
| KETAMINE'S MECHANISM OF ACTION: A PATH TO RAPID‐ACTING ANTIDEPRESSANTS | 2016 | Review | |
| Eradicating Suicide at Its Roots: Preclinical Bases and Clinical Evidence of the Efficacy of Ketamine in the Treatment of Suicidal Behaviors | 2018 | Review | |
| Predictors of Response to Ketamine in Treatment Resistant Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder Patients with treatment-resistant depressive symptoms as part of major depressive... | 2018 | Narrative review | |
| Ketamine as a Fast Acting Antidepressant: Current Knowledge and Open Questions | 2013 | Review |