Frontiers in Psychiatry
September 3, 2026
Anita Słupska, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Damian Swieczkowski et al.
Objectives Ketamine and esketamine are increasingly used for treatment-resistant depressive disorders, particularly when rapid symptom reduction is clinically desirable. Intranasal esketamine has a product-specific regulatory framework in several jurisdictions, whereas most racemic ketamine formulations remain off-label for psychiatric indications. This narrative review provides practical...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
December 4, 2025
Adam Włodarczyk, Jakub Słupski, Joanna Szarmach et al.
Ketamine may be a viable treatment option for patients with treatment-resistant post-stroke depression. Further research is warranted to better understand the efficacy and safety of ketamine in this specific patient population.
Frontiers in Nutrition
August 21, 2025
Jakub Słupski, Agnieszka Mechlińska, Adam Włodarczyk et al.
1 citation
Mood disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BP), significantly impact global health, with MDD affecting over 300 million people and BP affecting approximately 2% of the world's population. Ketamine, originally an anesthetic, has emerged as a promising treatment for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), due to its unique pharmacological...
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 1, 2024
Aleksander Kwaśny, Julia Kwaśna, Alina Wilkowska et al.
24 citations
Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, is a racemic mixture of esketamine and arketamine used to treat unipolar and bipolar depression. Preliminary reports indicate that it may be beneficial for depressed patients reporting symptoms of anhedonia. In this systematic review we aim to assess and analyze the existing body of evidence regarding the therapeutic effects of ketamine on...
Asian Journal of Psychiatry
June 1, 2024
Adam Włodarczyk, Jakub Słupski, Joanna Szarmach et al.
12 citations
Ketamine is the prototypal rapid-acting antidepressant (RAAD) for TRD with approved indication for esketamine-nasal spray (ESK-NS). Distinctly, arketamine (R-KET) demonstrates enhanced antidepressant effects and neuroplasticity changes compared to esketamine, with fewer dissociative side effects and abuse potential. This study focuses on R-ketamine's therapeutic implications, safety, and...
Medicine
July 23, 2021
A. Włodarczyk, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Maria Gałuszko‐węgielnik et al.
23 citations
Abstract There is evidence for ketamine use in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Several safety and tolerability concerns arise regarding adverse drug reactions and specific subpopulations. This paper aims to investigate the relationship between dissociative and psychometric measures in course of intravenous ketamine treatment in TRD inpatients with major depressive disorder and bipolar...
Medicina
March 16, 2021
Joanna Szarmach, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Adam Włodarczyk et al.
14 citations
Background and Objectives: There is evidence for ketamine efficacy in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Several safety and tolerability concerns arise that some psychotropic agents may provide blood pressure or/and heart rate alterations. The aim of this study is to review blood pressure measurements in course of the treatment with ketamine on treatment refractory inpatients with somatic...
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology
2021
Adam Włodarczyk, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Maria Gałuszko‐węgielnik et al.
8 citations
Background: There is evidence supporting the use of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, there are some safety and tolerability concerns associated with ketamine. This study aimed to investigate ketamine’s safety and tolerability to the central nervous system and to assess the relationship between dissociative symptomology and psychometric outcomes during and after...
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment
October 1, 2020
Joanna Szarmach, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Adam Włodarczyk et al.
15 citations
INTRODUCTION: Ketamine exhibits antidepressant properties in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) with some concern over its cardiovascular safety and tolerability issues. This paper reports on the cardiovascular safety in short-term intravenous ketamine treatment in TRD inpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The observational study...
Magnesium Research
Jakub Słupski, Adam Włodarczyk, Natalia Górska et al.
Impulsive behaviours affect patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BP), increasing suicide risk and mood instability. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, has been reported to promote fast-acting antidepressive and antisuicidal effects. Magnesium administered contemporarily with low-dose NMDA antagonists has been shown to cause a reduction...