Ketamine: Neuroprotective or Neurotoxic?
Frontiers in Neuroscience September 10, 2021 Divya Choudhury, Anita E. Autry, K. Tolias et al. 75 citations
Ketamine, a drug used as an anesthetic since the 1970s, has recently gained attention for its rapid antidepressant effects. In preclinical studies, it shows both neurotoxic and neuroprotective properties depending on context. At anesthetic doses during neurodevelopmental windows, it contributes to inflammation, autophagy, apoptosis, and increased reactive oxygen species. At subanesthetic doses, it activates neurotrophic signaling cascades with neuroprotective actions that are not always dependent on its primary receptor. This review summarizes the complex intracellular signaling pathways modulated by ketamine and contrasts its protective and harmful features.