ABSTRACT
Ketamine is a dissociate anaesthetic drug used legally in both human and veterinary practice, but which also features as a drug of misuse in the context of ‘clubbing’ where it may be used alongside other drugs such as ecstasy (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine). Ketamine is known to act as an antagonist on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors for the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, producing impaired attention and memory at low doses whilst intoxicated. However, there is disagreement in the literature about the long-term effects of ketamine consumption on cognition, and broader aspects of psychobiological functioning such as mood regulation. This chapter will look more broadly at the psychobiological consequences of ketamine use in the short and long term, in terms of the mechanisms by which its effects are exerted, and effects upon functioning. As this drug is commonly used in the context of other forms of substance misuse, the methodological issues arising in attempts to identify effects which may be specifically related to ketamine, will also be discussed, along with the implications of research findings for practitioners and policy makers in an international context.
