A Method for Measuring Dissociative Effects of Sub-Anesthetic Doses of Ketamine in Juvenile Female Rats.
Alexis M Klinner, David S Middlemas
Chronic Stress 2026 DOI: 10.1177/24705470261451166 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Female pre-pubescent rats |
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Dose | 40, 50, and 60 mg/kg |
| Duration | Up to 120 minutes post-injection |
| Topics | Depression Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Dissociative effects Juvenile |
| Key points | Higher sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine intensified both the severity and duration of dissociative behaviors in a female pre-pubescent rat model. |
Abstract
Treatment-resistant juvenile depression is a globally prevalent issue, with a need for better pharmacotherapy. Typically, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are front line, but recently there is interest in examining using ketamine or esketamine adjunct in adolescents. In this study, a novel method is used to explore the adverse effects of sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine in a female pre-pubescent rat model, to assess its potential clinical implications. We assessed the severity and duration of dissociative behavior at three sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine (40, 50, and 60 mg•kg-1). Dissociative behaviors cause a subject to feel apart from their reality and ketamine is often abused for such effects. Dissociative behaviors, such as circling and ataxia, were observed following ketamine administration, with higher doses leading to increased severity and duration of symptoms up to 120 min post-injection. Our findings revealed that increasing doses of ketamine intensified both the severity and duration of dissociative behaviors. In conclusion, these results suggest a correlation underlying ketamine's rapid-acting antidepressant effect, particularly with higher sub-anesthetic doses associated with more pronounced dissociative behaviors and a rapid-acting antidepressant effect. Further investigation into ketamine's impact on longer-term dissociative effects is warranted to deepen our understanding of its therapeutic risks of ketamine treatment of adolescent depression.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on ketamine for depression, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 13
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- Mechanisms of Ketamine Action as an Antidepressant Molecular Psychiatry March 13, 2018
- Efficacy of Esketamine Nasal Spray Plus Oral Antidepressant Treatment for Relapse Prevention in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression JAMA Psychiatry June 5, 2019
- Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine Adjunctive to Oral Antidepressant Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression JAMA Psychiatry December 27, 2017
and 8 more in the library