The immune regulatory mechanism of ketamine-induced psychiatric disorders: A new perspective on drug-induced psychiatric symptoms.

Ketamine, a psychoactive substance strictly regulated by international drug conventions, is classified as a new type drug due to its excitatory, hallucinogenic, or inhibitory effects. The immune regulatory mechanism is the most prominent among several theories explaining ketamine-induced psychiatric symptoms. Recent research highlights the interaction between the immune system and nervous system in neuropsychiatric disorders, with peripheral lymphocyte infiltration into the central nervous system as an early hallmark. This article provides a comprehensive overview of pathophysiological processes in psychiatric disorders, including those from ketamine, covering nerve damage, central immune alterations, and peripheral immune regulation. It emphasizes the crosstalk between peripheral and central immune systems in the onset and progression of psychiatric diseases, offering fresh perspectives on mechanisms, diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies for drug abuse-related mental disorders.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Ketamine, a psychoactive substance strictly regulated by international drug conventions, is classified as a "new type drug" due to its excitatory, hallucinogenic, or inhibitory effects. The etiology of ketamine-induced psychiatric symptoms is multifaceted, with the immune regulatory mechanism being the most prominent among several explanatory theories. In recent years, the interaction between the immune system and nervous system have garnered significant attention in neuropsychiatric disorder research. Notably, the infiltration of peripheral lymphocytes into the central nervous system has emerged as an early hallmark of certain neuropsychiatric disorders. However, a notable gap exists in the current literature, regarding the immune regulatory mechanisms, specifically the peripheral immune alterations, associated with ketamine-induced psychiatric symptoms. To address this void, this article endeavors to provide a comprehensive overview of the pathophysiological processes implicated in psychiatric disorders or symptoms, encompassing those elicited by ketamine. This analysis delves into aspects such as nerve damage, alterations within the central immune system, and the regulation of the peripheral immune system. By emphasizing the intricate crosstalk between the peripheral immune system and the central nervous system, this study sheds light on their collaborative role in the onset and progression of psychiatric diseases or symptoms. This insight offers fresh perspectives on the underlying mechanisms, diagnosis and therapeutic strategies for mental disorders stemming from drug abuse.