Ketamine's Therapeutic Role in Substance Use Disorders: A Narrative Review.

ABSTRACT: Interest in ketamine as a novel treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) has been increasing due to its N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonism and mounting evidence that glutamate neurotransmission is involved in the pathogenesis of both depression and addictions. This narrative review provides an outline of clinical evidence reported in the literature from the 1970s to 2025 that examines the efficacy of ketamine for the treatment of SUDs, focusing primarily on randomized blinded controlled trials (RBCTs). Key cohort studies, retrospective studies, secondary analyses, case reports, and relevant basic neuroscience studies are reviewed to complement the more rigorous human controlled trial data. Thus far, ketamine has been tested in nine RBCTs targeting cocaine (three

SUBMITTER: Thomas A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12452417 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature