Consequences of chronic ketamine self-administration upon neurocognitive function and psychological wellbeing: a 1-year longitudinal study.
Celia J. A. Morgan, Leslie Muetzelfeldt, Helen Valerie Curran
Addiction January 2010 DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02761.x (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 150 |
| Population | Young people including frequent, infrequent, abstinent ketamine users, polydrug controls, and non-users of illicit drugs |
| Duration | 12-month follow-up |
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine |
| Key findings | Cognitive deficits were mainly observed in frequent ketamine users, with increasing use over the year correlated with decreasing spatial working memory and pattern recognition memory performance. Frequent users showed greater dissociative symptoms, and delusional symptoms showed a dose-response effect. Both frequent and abstinent groups had increased depression scores over 12 months. |
Abstract
'Recreational' use of ketamine is spreading rapidly among young people. In healthy individuals an acute dose of the N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine induces marked psychosis-like effects and cognitive impairments, but little is known about the long-term effects of the drug. To evaluate the long-term neuropsychiatric or cognitive consequences. A total of 150 individuals were assessed, 30 in each of five groups: frequent ketamine users, infrequent ketamine users, abstinent users, polydrug controls and non-users of illicit drugs. Twelve months later, 80% of these individuals were re-tested. Cognitive deficits were mainly observed only in frequent users. In this group, increasing ketamine use over the year was correlated with decreasing performance on spatial working memory and pattern recognition memory tasks. Assessments of psychological wellbeing showed greater dissociative symptoms in frequent users and a dose-response effect on delusional symptoms, with frequent users scoring higher than infrequent, abstinent users and non-users, respectively. Both frequent and abstinent using groups showed increased depression scores over the 12 months. These findings imply that heavy use of ketamine is harmful to aspects of both cognitive function and psychological wellbeing. Health education campaigns need to raise awareness among young people and clinicians about these negative consequences of ketamine use.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taming the Ketamine Tiger Volunteers from a prison population | 2010 | Observational study | n = 20 |
| Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin Humans | 2017 | Observational study | |
| Disruption of Frontal–Parietal Communication by Ketamine, Propofol, and Sevoflurane Surgical patients undergoing induction of anesthesia with intravenous ketamine | 2013 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |
| Do the dissociative side effects of ketamine mediate its antidepressant effects? Treatment-resistant inpatients with major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder | 2014 | Observational cohort | n = 108 |
| Concomitant BDNF and sleep slow wave changes indicate ketamine-induced plasticity in major depressive disorder Patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |
Citations in the library
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- Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation American Journal of Psychiatry March 17, 2021
- The effect of a single dose of intravenous ketamine on suicidal ideation: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis American Journal of Psychiatry October 3, 2017
- Ketamine use: a review Addiction July 21, 2011
- Intravenous Esketamine in Adult Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Double-Blind, Double-Randomization, Placebo-Controlled Study Biological Psychiatry November 4, 2015
- Ketamine: 50 Years of Modulating the Mind Frontiers in Human Neuroscience November 29, 2016
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Cites 7
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- Recreational MDMA use in Sydney: a profile of ‘Ecstasy’ users and their experiences with the drug British Journal of Addiction August 1, 1992
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- 5-Year Trends in Use of Hallucinogens and Other Adjunct Drugs among UK Dance Drug Users European Addiction Research December 18, 2006
- Journey through the K-hole: phenomenological aspects of ketamine use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence March 19, 2008
and 2 more in the library