The Neuroregenerative Potential of Ketamine in Depression: Pathways to Cognitive and Emotional Rehabilitation
Abstract:
Depression, a leading cause of disability worldwide, presents significant challenges in treatment due to delayed therapeutic effects and incomplete remission in many patients. Recent advances have explored the potential of ketamine an NMDA receptor antagonist, in treating depression beyond its role as an anesthetic. Emerging evidence suggests ketamine has unique neuroregenerative properties, promoting synaptogenesis, neuroplasticity, and neural repair in key brain regions such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. This review explores the neuroregenerative mechanism of ketamine, emphasizing its role in cognitive and emotional rehabilitation in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects, which are thought to result from enhanced synaptic plasticity and increased dendritic spine density. The ability of ketamine to alleviate depressive symptoms quickly, coupled with its potential to repair cognitive dysfunction, makes it a promising therapeutic candidate. Additionally, ketamine's role in regulating glutamatergic transmission, preventing synaptic damage, and supporting emotional and cognitive recovery offers a novel approach to treating major depressive disorder. Further research is needed to fully reveal ketamine's long-term effects, optimal dosing strategies, and its potential in combination with other therapeutic modalities. This paper highlights the need for continued investigation into the neurobiological mechanism underlying ketamine's antidepressant effect and its application in clinical practice.
