Can ketamine therapy overcome treatment-resistant depression in Alzheimer's disease and older adults? Preclinical and clinical evidence.
Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & pharmacotherapie July 1, 2025 Altamura Mario, Leccisotti Ivana, Moretti Maria Claudia et al. 5 citations
Ketamine and its derivatives, esketamine and arketamine, may provide rapid and robust antidepressant effects for older adults with treatment-resistant depression, including those with Alzheimer's disease. A systematic review of 19 human clinical studies and 8 preclinical studies found that these NMDA receptor antagonists can alleviate depressive symptoms in this population, potentially offering advantages over standard treatments like memantine due to a broader mechanism of action. However, neurodegenerative changes in older adults can affect receptor dynamics, and the evidence suggests these drugs are promising but require further investigation.