Ketamine as a Rapid-Acting Antidepressant: A Scoping Review of Mechanisms and Efficacy in Treatment-Resistant Depression

Ketamine displays rapid onset and high efficacy in the management of TRD; nevertheless, its long-term safety, risk of dependence, and potential cognitive effects necessitate close clinical monitoring. Future research should prioritize the exploration of synergistic treatment regimens and the development of novel ketamine derivatives with improved target specificity and safety profiles to advance the application of precision psychiatry. Collectively, this review provides a foundational reference to guide clinical practice and inform subsequent mechanistic studies on ketamine-based antidepressant therapies.