10/03/2025
KAP for ADHD?
The honest answer is: we don’t have robust evidence that ketamine helps with ADHD, most data out there you’ll find will be animal studies, case reports or small trials, but researchers and clinicians sometimes speculate on how it might help certain people. Here are the possible ways it could play a role:
Impact on Attention & Cognitive Flexibility
Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist, which temporarily shifts glutamate signaling.
This “reset” effect has been shown in depression to rapidly enhance synaptic plasticity (new connections between neurons).
In theory, this could help with working memory, focus, and flexible thinking — areas that are often impaired in ADHD.
Mood & Motivation Pathways
Many with ADHD also struggle with depression, anxiety, or rejection sensitivity.
Ketamine has strong evidence for rapid relief of depressive symptoms.
If mood symptoms improve, people may indirectly experience better focus, energy, and motivation, which can look like ADHD improvement (though it’s not directly treating core ADHD).
Dopamine & Reward Circuitry
ADHD is strongly tied to dopamine dysregulation in the prefrontal cortex and striatum.
While ketamine doesn’t work the same way as stimulants, it may increase dopamine release downstream after glutamate modulation.
This could improve reward processing and task engagement, similar in direction (but not mechanism) to stimulant medications.
Interrupting Negative Cognitive Loops
Many with ADHD experience rumination, frustration, and self-critical thinking.
Ketamine can induce a temporary shift in perspective and help people feel less “stuck.”
This might help with executive functioning and task initiation, though this effect is often short-lived without structured therapy.
