Effects of ketamine on the developing central nervous system.
Ketamine is a widely used drug in pediatric anesthesia practice, acting primarily through the blockade of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type of glutamate receptors. A growing body of laboratory evidence, accumulated during the past few years, suggests that this drug could have potential adverse effects on the developing central nervous system. The goal of this short review is to give a brief synopsis of experimental work indicating ketamine-induced developmental neurotoxicity as well as to discuss potential limitations concerning extrapolation of these studies to clinical practice.
Vutskits
László
L
Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Intensive Care, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Gascon
Eduardo
E
Kiss
József Zoltán
JZ
D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000209:etiology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D007649:Ketamine