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Therapeutic Potential of Intravenous Ketamine in Early-Onset Dementia: A Case Report.

Mariam Tadros, Dianella Rente Lavastida, Ashraf F Hanna

Cureus July 1, 2024 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.65261 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Case report Peer reviewed
Sample size 1
Population 56-year-old female with early-onset dementia
Intervention Intravenous ketamine
Duration Two months
Topics Esketamine Ketamine
Keywords Alzheimer's disease Anti-inflammatory Early-onset dementia Iv ketamine Neurology Treatment-resistant Intravenous ketamine Ketamine infusion Cognitive decline
Citations 2
Key findings Intravenous ketamine treatment was associated with improvements in cognitive function, mood, and daily living activities in a patient with early-onset dementia who had failed standard therapies.

Abstract

This case report discusses the use of intravenous (IV) ketamine as a potential therapeutic agent for early-onset dementia. A 56-year-old female with a diagnosis of early-onset dementia showed significant cognitive decline despite trying and failing several standard treatments such as memantine, donepezil, and rivastigmine. Given the promising results of ketamine in other neurological and psychiatric disorders, the patient underwent a series of IV ketamine infusions over a period of two months. Following treatment, there was a notable improvement in cognitive function, mood, and daily living activities. By the end of her treatments, the patient stated she had more mental clarity, increased focus, improved memory, and increased energy. This case highlights the potential use of ketamine as a novel treatment approach for early-onset dementia and warrants further investigation in larger clinical trials.

Comparable studies

Other case reports and case series on ketamine, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The destruction of the lower urinary tract by ketamine abuse: a new syndrome? Young recreational abusers of street-ketamine in Hong Kong referred to urology units 2008 Retrospective case series n = 59
Electroconvulsive Therapy, Ketamine, and Esketamine in a Patient with Major Depressive Disorder and Multiple Comorbidities: A Case Report over 10-year Treatment from Adolescence to Adulthood. A patient with treatment-resistant depression and comorbid generalized anxiety... 2025 Case report n = 1
Treatment of compulsive behaviour in eating disorders with intermittent ketamine infusions Chronic and treatment-resistant eating disorder patients 1998 Case series n = 15
Oral Administration of the NMDA Receptor Antagonist S-Ketamine as Add-On Therapy of Depression: A Case Series Four depressed patients taking standard antidepressants 2009 Case series n = 4
A longitudinal case series of IM ketamine for patients with severe and enduring eating disorders and comorbid treatment‐resistant depression Patients with enduring eating disorders and treatment-resistant depression 2021 Case series n = 4

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Esketamine Ketamine