The impact of depressive symptoms on cognitive impairments in chronic ketamine users

Background: Chronic ketamine use has been associated with cognitive impairments, while depressive symptoms are commonly observed in individuals using ketamine. However, the influence of depressive symptoms on cognitive impairments in chronic ketamine users remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the impact of depressive symptoms on cognitive function in this population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of chronic ketamine users. Participants underwent comprehensive cognitive assessments, including measures of attention, executive function, working memory, verbal and visual memory. Depressive symptoms were assessed using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. Multivariate analyses were utilized to compare the cognitive performance of individuals who use ketamine, both with and without depressive symptoms, as well as a control group, while controlling for relevant covariates. Results: The results revealed a significant negative impact of depressive symptoms on cognitive impairments, particularly in the domains of memory and executive function, among chronic ketamine users. The analysis of partial correlations revealed that among individuals who use ketamine and have depressive symptoms, those with higher levels of depressive symptoms demonstrated poorer cognitive performance compared to individuals with lower levels of depressive symptoms, controlling for potential confounding factors. Conclusions: The findings suggest that depressive symptoms contribute to cognitive impairments, specifically in memory and executive function, in chronic ketamine users. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate depressive symptoms when considering cognitive enhancement treatment for this population.