The Latest Research Progress of Ketamine in the Field of Antidepressant Treatment

Objective: To probe about the progress in the efficacy and mechanism of Ketamine in the treat-ment of depression. Methods: We collected articles on search websites in recent decades on the rapid onset and related mechanisms of Ketamine and Esketamine in the treatment-refractory depression. Results: A total of 18 relevant articles were collected from the PubMed, Medline etc. web-site medical literature database, including 4 review articles, as a key summary and analysis. Conclu-sion: Ketamine and Esketamine have a rapid antidepression effect. The effective dose for adults is between 0.5~1.0 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, with a single injection time of no less than 40 minutes. The average onset time is 1.5 hour and the peak time is 3 hours. Intranasal spray has similar efficacy and oral administration is ineffective and should be used with caution in children. The mechanism of action is still unclear. Further observation is needed on the risks associated with long-term medication use.