Intravenous (IV) low-dose ketamine has emerged as a promising treatment for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, its impact on cognitive functioning remains unclear. This systematic review examines the cognitive and executive effects of IV ketamine in TRD, focusing on their relationship to depressive and suicidal outcomes. A systematic search of Cochrane, MEDLINE,...
BACKGROUND: Alcohol use disorder and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) often co-occur, presenting a major clinical challenge with limited effective treatments. However, ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects and has shown promise in reducing alcohol use, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can be effective for both substance use and mood disorders. This study explores the...
We present the first evidence that sub-anesthetic ketamine infusions for treatment resistant depression (TRD) may facilitate deprescription of long-term benzodiazepine/z-drugs (BZDRs). Long-term BZDR prescriptions are potentially harmful yet common, partly because of challenging withdrawal symptoms. Few pharmacological interventions have evidence for facilitating BZDR discontinuation, and none...
Background Subanesthetic ketamine has accumulated meta-analytic evidence for rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), resulting in both excitement and debate. Many unanswered questions surround ketamine’s mechanisms of action and its integration into real-world psychiatric care, resulting in diverse utilizations that variously resemble electroconvulsive therapy,...
Background Psychedelic drug experiences are shaped by current-moment contextual factors, commonly categorized as internal (set) and external (setting). Potential influences of past environments, however, have received little attention. Aims To investigate how previous environmental stimuli shaped the experiences of patients receiving ketamine for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), and...
BACKGROUND: Alcohol use disorder is highly prevalent and has important economical, societal, psychiatric, and medical consequences. All currently approved therapeutic approaches targeting alcohol dependence have relatively modest effects and high relapse rates. Recent evidence suggests that ketamine may be an effective intervention to treat alcohol use disorder and alcoholic withdrawal. This...
Late-life depression (LLD) affects up to 18% of older adults and has been linked to elevated dementia risk. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) holds promise for treating symptoms of depression and ameliorating cognitive deficits in older adults. While preliminary findings are promising, a definitive RCT investigating its effects on late life depression and cognition have not yet been...
OBJECTIVE: -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has demonstrated rapid antidepressant effects in patients with TRD. The Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) convened a task force to review the evidence for efficacy and safety of racemic ketamine and to provide recommendations for its use in clinical practice. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted with...