Esketamine Exposure Affects Neurodevelopment and Glutamate-NMDAR Signaling in Zebrafish Larvae.
J Biochem Mol Toxicol May 1, 2026 Jingyi Wang, Shuo Huang, Tingting Lin et al.
Exposure to esketamine, a drug used for sedation in young children, caused hyperactivity and a preference for darkness in zebrafish larvae. The drug also increased glutamate levels and altered genes involved in brain development. Adding NMDA, a related compound, reversed the hyperactivity and gene changes. The findings suggest that esketamine affects developing brains through glutamate signaling, raising caution for its use in pediatric medicine.