Ketamine renaissance: Expanding horizons from anesthesia to depression and pain
Raja Suhail Shounthoo, Ajaiz Rasool, Athar Un Nisa Quraishi, Humaira Bashir, Falak Ara, Ishrat Yousuf
Asian Journal of Medical Sciences June 30, 2026 DOI: 10.71152/ajms.v17i7.5333 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Review of ketamine literature across anesthesia, psychiatry, and pain medicine |
| Topics | Ketamine Neuroplasticity Depression Esketamine |
| Keywords | Monoaminergic Dissociative Depression economics Antidepressant Perioperative Glutamatergic Anesthesia Chronic pain Anesthetic agent Intensive care medicine Midazolam Acute pain |
| Key findings | Ketamine offers rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression and efficacy in acute and chronic pain, but long-term safety, protocol standardization, and misuse potential remain unresolved. |
Abstract
Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic introduced in the 1960s, has re-emerged as a versatile therapeutic agent extending beyond its traditional perioperative role. Its rapid antidepressant action in treatment-resistant depression and efficacy in acute and chronic pain syndromes have driven what is termed the “ketamine renaissance.” Unlike conventional monoaminergic antidepressants, ketamine primarily modulates glutamatergic neurotransmission, enhancing synaptic plasticity and influencing neuroinflammatory pathways. This review critically evaluates ketamine’s evolving role across anaesthesia, psychiatry, and pain medicine, highlighting mechanistic insights, clinical applications, safety concerns, and current evidence gaps. While ketamine offers significant therapeutic promise, issues related to long-term safety, standardization of protocols, and misuse potential remain unresolved.