The therapeutic role of ketamine and esketamine in treating psychopathological domains of depression.
Neuropharmacology November 1, 2022 Muhammad Youshay Jawad, Joshua D. Di Vincenzo, Sebastian Badulescu et al. 29 citations
Ketamine is an effective rapid-acting antidepressant, but most research has focused on overall depression severity rather than specific symptom domains. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on ketamine's effects on cognition, anhedonia, suicidality, and psychosocial functionality. The strongest evidence supports ketamine's ability to reduce suicidality, and its rapid action may help prevent suicide. Evidence for other domains is weak, largely because few robust studies have assessed them as primary outcomes. The authors call for future research to examine ketamine's effects on specific depression domains to optimize treatment.