Therapeutic Potential of Intravenous Ketamine in Early-Onset Dementia: A Case Report.

A 56-year-old woman with early-onset dementia who had not responded to standard treatments including memantine, donepezil, and rivastigmine received a series of intravenous ketamine infusions over two months. After treatment, she experienced notable improvements in cognitive function, mood, and daily living activities, reporting more mental clarity, increased focus, improved memory, and increased energy. This case suggests that IV ketamine may be a potential therapeutic option for early-onset dementia, but larger clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This case report discusses the use of intravenous (IV) ketamine as a potential therapeutic agent for early-onset dementia. A 56-year-old female with a diagnosis of early-onset dementia showed significant cognitive decline despite trying and failing several standard treatments such as memantine, donepezil, and rivastigmine. Given the promising results of ketamine in other neurological and psychiatric disorders, the patient underwent a series of IV ketamine infusions over a period of two months. Following treatment, there was a notable improvement in cognitive function, mood, and daily living activities. By the end of her treatments, the patient stated she had more mental clarity, increased focus, improved memory, and increased energy. This case highlights the potential use of ketamine as a novel treatment approach for early-onset dementia and warrants further investigation in larger clinical trials.