Ketamine: An emerging agent in the management of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Nathan Menke, Elizabeth Hoffman, Kelsey Gaylor, Ahmad Shobassy
Asian Journal of Psychiatry April 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2024.104351 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Topics | Cannabis Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Addiction treatment Substance dependence Mental health interventions Acute pain Alcohol withdrawal Chronic pain Cocaine Opioid withdrawal Opioids Psychomotor agitation Substance use disorders Ketamine therapy Pain management |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Ketamine shows emerging potential for treating substance use disorders, withdrawal syndromes, pain syndromes, and psychomotor agitation beyond its established use for depression and suicidality. |
Abstract
Ketamine's unique pharmacological profile, safety, modulation of multiple neurotransmitter systems, and ability to produce neuroplastic changes make it a subject of study with implications for a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders beyond its traditional use as an anesthetic agent. This article aims to provide an overview of the pharmacology of ketamine and briefly discuss its emerging use in treating: substance use disorders (alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and opioids); withdrawal syndromes (opioid and alcohol); acute and chronic pain syndromes; and severe psychomotor agitation. Ketamine for the treatment of depression and suicidality is well established; however, the focus of this paper is to outline less common indications.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ketamine and Ketamine Metabolite Pharmacology: Insights into Therapeutic Mechanisms | 2018 | Review | |
| Mechanisms of Ketamine Action as an Antidepressant | 2018 | Review | |
| Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation Adults with treatment-resistant depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Ketamine Pharmacology: An Update (Pharmacodynamics and Molecular Aspects, Recent Findings) | 2013 | Review | |
| A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders | 2017 | Review and consensus statement |
Citations in the library
Cites 35
- Ketamine and Ketamine Metabolite Pharmacology: Insights into Therapeutic Mechanisms Pharmacological Reviews June 26, 2018
- Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Cell Reports June 1, 2018
- Ketamine Pharmacology: An Update (Pharmacodynamics and Molecular Aspects, Recent Findings) CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics April 10, 2013
- Ketamine – More mechanisms of action than just NMDA blockade Trends in Anaesthesia and Critical Care March 22, 2014
- Ketamine: 50 Years of Modulating the Mind Frontiers in Human Neuroscience November 29, 2016
and 30 more in the library