The evidence for ketamine treatment in older adults with psychiatric illness: a scoping review
Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease October 1, 2025 Kayla Murphy, Julia C. Golden, Haley Schuster et al. 3 citations
Ketamine, long used as an anesthetic, has been studied for psychiatric conditions, but evidence in older adults (age >60) is limited. This review of 14 randomized controlled trials and 2 post-hoc analyses found mixed results for ketamine in treating depression and delirium in this population. Five studies showed no significant effect on delirium incidence; two found lower incidence, but one found higher incidence with ketamine. Four studies showed improvement in depressive symptoms, while others did not. Side effects were mostly mild. The authors conclude that current data are insufficient for other psychiatric conditions in older adults, and use of ketamine requires individualized risk-benefit assessment through shared decision making.