International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
J Keeler, H Himmerich, J Treasure et al.
Abstract Background Approximately a third of people with anorexia nervosa (AN) develop a severe and enduring form of the illness, which is often accompanied by depression. This can be a key barrier to recovery. Anti-depressant medications are less effective in treating depression in patients with acute AN, thus new pharmacological treatment options are needed. Ketamine is currently used for...
International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
M Juruena
Abstract Background Ketamine has rapid antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but optimal implementation, route selection, and longer-term maintenance strategies remain areas of active clinical development. At the Maudsley Advanced Treatment Service (MATS), ketamine and esketamine are delivered within a specialist governance framework, using multiple...
Translational Psychiatry
May 12, 2026
Linda Bryant, Laith Alexander, Sergio Mena et al.
Ketamine has demonstrated rapid antidepressant efficacy in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but clinical decision-making is challenging due to variability in individual response. Current trial-and-error prescribing practices may expose patients to ineffective treatment and avoidable adverse effects, underscoring the need for reliable predictive tools to optimize treatment selection and...
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
April 16, 2026
Minna Chang, Allan H. Young, Mario F Juruena
Previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have reported impressive antidepressant effects of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). While ketamine has been compared with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), the gold standard treatment, the extent and durability of its antidepressant effects over longer periods remain unclear. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review...
Psychopharmacology
February 7, 2026
Rebecca J Simpson, Mario F Juruena
1 citation
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a common and debilitating condition. Current treatments fail to provide adequate relief in roughly one-third of individuals, resulting in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Ketamine has emerged as a promising intervention for TRD, offering rapid and sustained antidepressant effects. However, benefits often require maintenance dosing, and long-term outcomes...
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
June 20, 2025
Mutahira Qureshi, Daniel Silman, Romayne Gadelrab et al.
3 citations
Ketamine, a rapid-acting N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist used as a therapeutic for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), is usually administered intravenously or intranasally. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 1 study investigated safety and tolerability (primary endpoint), pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of an immediate-release oral ketamine....
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2025
Minna Chang, Allan H. Young, Mario F Juruena
Aims: Ketamine is a novel and exciting putative antidepressant medication for patients with treatment-resistant depression. A complication commonly seen in frequent and heavy recreational use of ketamine is ulcerative cystitis, which presents with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and upper renal tract damage and can be seen in over 25% of regular users. Although ketamine-induced cystitis...
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
2025
Gianmarco Ingrosso, Anthony J. Cleare, Mario F Juruena
20 citations
Ketamine has demonstrated both rapid and sustained efficacy in treating depression, especially in treatment-resistant cases. However, concerns regarding the addictive potential of ketamine during long-term depression treatment persist among clinicians. This review aimed to summarise the evidence on addiction phenomena associated with ketamine treatment of depression. A comprehensive search was...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
December 17, 2024
Gianmarco Ingrosso, Anthony J. Cleare, Mario F Juruena
1 citation
Background: Ketamine has demonstrated both rapid and sustained efficacy in treating depression, especially in treatment-resistant cases. However, concerns regarding the addictive potential of ketamine during long-term depression treatment persist among clinicians. Aim: This review aimed to summarise the evidence on addiction phenomena associated with ketamine treatment of depression. Methods: A...
BMC Psychiatry
January 2, 2024
Minna Chang, Mario F Juruena, Allan H. Young
16 citations
Abstract Background Ketamine is a novel and exciting putative antidepressant medication for patients with treatment-resistant depression. A complication commonly seen in frequent and heavy recreational use of ketamine is ulcerative cystitis, which presents with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and upper renal tract damage and can be seen in over 25% of regular users. Although...
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
2023
Allan H. Young, Mohamed Abdelghani, Mario F Juruena et al.
10 citations
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is associated with profound morbidity for patients, placing a significant burden on those affected, the health service and wider society. Despite this, TRD remains chronically underserved in terms of viable treatment options. To address this gap, an advisory panel of psychiatrists and clinical researchers with experience in managing TRD convened to develop...
Nutrients
November 20, 2021
Johanna Louise Keeler, Janet Treasure, Mario F Juruena et al.
55 citations
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a highly complex disorder to treat, especially in severe and enduring cases. Whilst the precise aetiology of the disorder is uncertain, malnutrition and weight loss can contribute to reductions in grey and white matter of the brain, impairments in neuroplasticity and neurogenesis and difficulties with cognitive flexibility, memory and learning. Depression is highly...
Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry
July 3, 2020
Simon Ruffell, Nige Netzband, Catherine Bird et al.
43 citations
Ayahuasca is a South American psychoactive plant brew used as traditional medicine in spiritual and in cultural rituals. This is a review of the current understanding about the pharmacological mechanisms that may be interacting in ayahuasca. Searches were performed using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases and 16 papers were selected. As hypothesized, the primary narrative in...