Beyond surgery: Repurposing anesthetics for treatment of central nervous system disorders.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry June 20, 2025 Joana Mielko, Julia Pakulska, Amelia Oszczyk et al.
Drug repurposing—finding new uses for existing medications—offers a faster, cheaper alternative to traditional drug development, especially for neurological and psychiatric disorders. This narrative review examines preclinical and clinical studies on anesthetics including ketamine, nitrous oxide, isoflurane, sevoflurane, propofol, dexmedetomidine, and sodium oxybate for treating central nervous system disorders. Anesthetics show potential for rapid antidepressant effects, enhanced learning and memory, improved synaptic plasticity, and neuroprotection, suggesting promise for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, cognitive decline, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative disorders. These effects likely involve modulation of GABAergic and glutamatergic pathways. Challenges include dose-dependent neurotoxicity, variability in outcomes, and environmental concerns. Further research is needed to optimize dosing, ensure long-term safety, and clarify mechanisms.