Increased response to ketamine following treatment at long intervals: implications for intermittent use.
Keith A Trujillo, Juan J Zamora, Kathleen P Warmoth
Biological Psychiatry January 15, 2008 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.02.014 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Laboratory rats |
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Dose | 20 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg intraperitoneal (IP) |
| Duration | Once weekly injections (duration not specified) |
| Measures | locomotor response |
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine |
| Key findings | Repeated weekly ketamine administration to rats produced an escalation in locomotor stimulant effects, indicating behavioral sensitization; sensitization was greater when ketamine was given in the presence of distinct environmental cues. The authors suggest caution in the repeated use of ketamine for recreational or clinical purposes. |
Abstract
Ketamine has been used for many years as a dissociative anesthetic; however, there is evidence of increasing abuse, especially at dance clubs and raves. In addition, there is increasing interest in the use of subanesthetic doses of ketamine for the treatment of pain and depression, as well as for clinical research on schizophrenia. Despite growing use, relatively little is known about the consequences of repeated administration of low doses of ketamine. To determine the changes in response to repeated administration, ketamine (20 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg intraperitoneal [IP]) was administered once weekly to laboratory rats and the locomotor response was assessed following each injection. Repeated administration of ketamine led to an escalation in the stimulant effects of the drug, characteristic of behavioral sensitization. The development of sensitization was greater when ketamine was repeatedly administered in the presence of distinct environmental cues. Intermittent administration of ketamine at weekly intervals leads to the development of locomotor sensitization. These results suggest caution in the repeated use of ketamine for recreational or clinical purposes.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| mTOR-Dependent Synapse Formation Underlies the Rapid Antidepressant Effects of NMDA Antagonists Rats | 2010 | Observational study | |
| Activation of Glutamatergic Neurotransmission by Ketamine: A Novel Step in the Pathway from NMDA Receptor Blockade to Dopaminergic and Cognitive Disruptions Associated with the Prefrontal Cortex Conscious rats | 1997 | Dose-response study with microdialysis and behavioral testing | |
| NMDAR inhibition-independent antidepressant actions of ketamine metabolites Mice | 2016 | Preclinical study | |
| The dissociative anaesthetics, ketamine and phencyclidine, selectively reduce excitation of central mammalian neurones by N‐methyl‐aspartate Spinal neurons in decerebrate or pentobarbitone-anaesthetized cats and rats | 1983 | Experimental study | |
| R-ketamine: a rapid-onset and sustained antidepressant without psychotomimetic side effects Mice | 2015 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 25
- Ketamine use: a review Addiction July 21, 2011
- Ketamine and Other NMDA Antagonists: Early Clinical Trials and Possible Mechanisms in Depression American Journal of Psychiatry October 1, 2015
- The use of ketamine as an antidepressant: a systematic review and meta‐analysis Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental April 7, 2015
- Glutamate Receptor Antagonists as Fast-Acting Therapeutic Alternatives for the Treatment of Depression: Ketamine and Other Compounds The Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology January 6, 2014
- The abuse liability of ketamine: A scoping review of preclinical and clinical studies. Journal of Psychiatric Research May 1, 2022
and 20 more in the library
Cites 8
- A Randomized Trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate Antagonist in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression Archives of General Psychiatry August 1, 2006
- Subanesthetic Effects of the Noncompetitive NMDA Antagonist, Ketamine, in Humans Archives of General Psychiatry March 1, 1994
- The dissociative anaesthetics, ketamine and phencyclidine, selectively reduce excitation of central mammalian neurones by N‐methyl‐aspartate British Journal of Pharmacology June 1, 1983
- A Review of the Nonmedical Use of Ketamine: Use, Users and Consequences Journal of Psychoactive Drugs December 1, 2000
- The effects and consequences of selected club drugs. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment September 2002
and 3 more in the library