Is there a risk of addiction to ketamine during the treatment of depression? A systematic review of available literature
Journal of Psychopharmacology December 17, 2024 G. Ingrosso, A. Cleare, M. Juruena 1 citation
A review of 16 studies involving 2,174 patients found that addiction-related problems during ketamine treatment for depression are rare. Only four patients showed clear signs of tolerance or dependence, while the vast majority did not. The studies used various forms and routes of ketamine, including intravenous, intranasal esketamine, and others. The review concludes that ketamine treatment appears relatively safe for adult depression when medically supervised, with careful dosing and monitoring. The authors note that future long-term studies using standardized scales for dependence could strengthen evidence for safe use.