Ketamine for negative and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia: the evidence so far.
Frontiers in psychiatry January 1, 2026 C M Diendorfer, C Bum, A Weidenauer et al.
Ketamine, a drug used for treatment-resistant depression, may offer benefits for negative and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia, though no randomized controlled trials have tested it in psychotic disorders. Negative symptoms like apathy and anhedonia are hard to treat and often overlap with depression. Case reports show ketamine can improve mood without triggering psychosis, and its dissociative effects usually fade within one to two hours. This review examines ketamine's potential advantages and risks for schizophrenia patients, focusing on negative and depressive symptoms.