Absence of Ketamine Effects on Learning & Memory Following Exposure during Early Adolescence: A Preliminary Report
Journal of Behavioral and Brain Science January 1, 2021 Shannon O’brien, David M. Compton, Julianna M. Davis et al.
Ketamine, traditionally used as a dissociative anesthetic and more recently studied as a fast-acting antidepressant and non-opiate pain treatment, is also used recreationally by adolescents. Using a rodent model, researchers exposed rats to ketamine or saline from early to mid-adolescence (postnatal days 22–40) and then, after a 50-day drug-free period, tested them in adulthood (starting at 90 days old) for general activity, spatial navigation, and nonspatial response learning. Contrary to predictions, the ketamine-exposed rats showed no spatial or nonspatial learning impairments compared to saline controls, though differences in general activity levels were observed. The findings suggest that the effects of adolescent ketamine exposure may depend on the specific developmental stage.