Effect of Ketamine Treatment on Social Withdrawal in Autism and Autism-Like Conditions.
Clinical neuropharmacology Megan Ralston, Alim Osman, Pavan Suryadevara et al. 4 citations
A review of the current literature on ketamine for social withdrawal in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) found only two original studies and five case reports. The two studies showed mixed results: esketamine produced no statistically significant improvement, while intravenous ketamine alleviated social withdrawal symptoms, especially in the short term. Neither study reported many serious adverse events. The five case reports indicated decreased depressive symptoms and some evidence of improved social functioning. Evidence for improved social condition exists, but research is limited, and further studies with larger samples and varied doses and administration methods are needed.