Ketamine and Hydroxynorketamine as Novel Pharmacotherapies for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders.
Biological psychiatry March 15, 2025 Anna Onisiforou, Andria Michael, Markos Apostolakis et al. 14 citations
Opioid use disorder (OUD) has reached epidemic levels, and current medications, while lifesaving, fail to address negative affect and cognitive impairment, leading to high relapse rates even years after drug cessation. Ketamine, an anesthetic and rapid-acting antidepressant, shows promise for treating OUD, including managing acute withdrawal symptoms, negative affect during protracted abstinence, and preventing return to opioid use. This review examines preclinical and clinical research on ketamine and its metabolites as novel therapeutic strategies. Evidence demonstrates that ketamine and its metabolites can modulate pathophysiological processes in OUD, suggesting a promising role in treatment and relapse prevention.